| 99.9% | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Kaytranada |
| Cover: | Kaytranada, '99.9%', Artwork - Mar. 18, 2016.png |
| Released: | May 6, 2016 |
| Recorded: | 2014–2016 |
| Producer: | Kaytranada |
| Next Title: | Bubba |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
99.9% is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music producer Kaytranada, released May 6, 2016, through XL Recordings worldwide and Ultra Records in Canada. The 15-track album features guest contributions from by, Vic Mensa, Little Dragon, Syd, Craig David, AlunaGeorge, and BadBadNotGood amongst others. 99.9% was supported by five singles: "Leave Me Alone" featuring Shay Lia, "Drive Me Crazy" featuring Vic Mensa, the Karriem Riggins and River Tiber-assisted instrumental "Bus Ride", "Glowed Up" featuring, and "Lite Spots".[1]
The album was named as the winner of the 2016 Polaris Music Prize,[2] and won Electronic Album of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards.[3]
In May 2014, it was announced that Kaytranada had signed a deal with UK-based independent record label XL Recordings and planned to release an EP in the summer.[4] During an interview with New York-based music magazine The Fader, the Montreal producer disclosed that XL is "one of the labels I always wanted to be on […] It's a good label for people who are sort of lost and are like, 'Let me see what's going on.'"[5] Kaytranada described the untitled EP as "abstract-feeling" and "uptempo, neo-soul," and was aiming to "make it as funky as possible."[5] In addition, he confirmed that he had worked with Vic Mensa, Karriem Riggins, Reva DeVito, and Shay Lia amongst others.[5] [6]
On August 12, 2014, at the announcement of the EP's tentative title, So Bad, a song named "Leave Me Alone", featuring vocalist and fellow Montreal native Shay Lia, was released as the lead single.[7] [8] However, no updates had been provided regarding the EP's release date.[9] [10]
As reported on December 15, 2014, Kaytranada expanded his project into a full-length album.[10] On Facebook, he posted a glimpse of his renewed contract with XL, along with the words "ALBUM COMING."[11] [12] Serving as the second single is the trap-influenced "Drive Me Crazy", featuring Chicago rapper Vic Mensa, released on January 27, 2015.[13] [14]
On September 7, 2015, Kaytranada took to Twitter to announce the album's official title: 99.9%.[15] During Benji B's "Montreal Special" on BBC Radio 1 on March 16, 2016, he shared more details about his long-awaited effort. The producer expounded on the album title, explaining that it reflects his dissatisfaction and indecisiveness when it comes to his musical endeavor.[16] [17] Furthermore, he confirmed that Canadian instrumental band BadBadNotGood and The Internet's lead vocalist Syd were both recruited as guests contributors.[18] Speaking about BadBadNotGood, he revealed that they recorded about fifteen tracks together, though only two were selected for the album.[16] [19] He also premiered a track from the album titled "Bus Ride" which features drum work from Detroit jazz percussionist and producer Karriem Riggins, and accompaniment from Toronto multi-instrumentalist and producer River Tiber.[20] [21] [22] On Twitter, he confirmed that the album would be released on May 6.[18] [23]
The following day, Kaytranada unveiled via Instagram and Facebook the artworks and track listing for 99.9%, along with short individual animations corresponding to each track.[22] [24] The album's digital version was made available for pre-order ahead of its release on iTunes and Amazon, while its physical format could be pre-ordered on XL Recordings' online store.[25] [26] The physical product comes on a double 12-inch vinyl with a gatefold sleeve, and includes a free CD of the digital album.[26]
On April 7, 2016, "Glowed Up", which features on vocals, debuted on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show, with the music video, directed by Bo Mirosseni, premiering soon after.[27] [28] Marc Hogan from Pitchfork gave the song a "Best New Track" designation, stating that "It's a track where two complementary artists sound like they are right where they want to be, and the pleasure is in how they bring us into this world, too".[29]
In anticipation of the album's release, an album-themed video game, 99.9%: The Game, was launched on Kaytranada's website on April 20, 2016.[30] Designed by artist Ricardo Cavolo, who also worked on the album's artwork, the game is a side-scroller modeled after 2013's popular mobile game Flappy Bird.[30] [31] Players must navigate an airplane through obstacles while collecting items to earn points.[30] [31] Players who attain a high score of over a hundred points will be rewarded with a free download of "Nobody Beats the Kay," a bonus track from the album.[31] On May 10, 2016, a music video for "Lite Spots" was released.[32]
99.9% received critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to all reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on a number of 21 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Both Pitchfork and Spin gave the album a rating of 8 out of 10. Pitchforks Jonah Bromwich wrote, "The genre-defying stew of funk, soul, R&B, and beat and dance music that Kaytranada has cooked up on 99.9% nods back at that heritage of percussion-driven synthesis." At PopMatters, which gives a rating out of ten stars, the album received an average rating of 6 stars. In his review, Chris Conaton wrote, "Even though [Kaytranada] doesn't do every genre he attempts equally skillfully, there's a pop music core to most of these songs that keeps 99.9% listenable throughout."[33]
Kaytranada has won the 2016 Polaris Music Prize for the album.[34]
| Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Guardian | The Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | |||
| The Independent | Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | |||
| NME | NME's Albums of the Year 2016 | 2016 | |||
| Rough Trade | Albums of the Year | 2016 | |||
| The Skinny | Top 50 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | |||
| Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | |||
| Apple Music | Best Albums of 2016 (Canada) | 2016 | |||
| Pitchfork | Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 |
All tracks produced by Kaytranada, except "Bus Ride" by Kaytranada, Karriem Riggins and River Tiber, and "Weight Off" by Kaytranada and BadBadNotGood.
Notes
| Position | ||
| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[35] | 11 |
|---|