Album Review: Kid Cudi - SATELLITE FLIGHT: The Journey To Mother Moon - RESPECT.

Although WZRD and Indicud was embraced by Kid Cudi stans, both albums were considered missteps by most. Following each release, audiences were still left anticipating the return of the old Man on the Moon that brought classics such as “Day N’ Nite,” “Pursuit of Happiness,” and “Mr. Rager.” There’s a reason that fans were ecstatic to hear that Cudi will release Man on the Moon 3 in 2015. To appease them until then, the former G.O.O.D Music rapper released SATELLITE FLIGHT: The Journey to Mother Moon. The album, which was initially an EP, was released in somewhat of a surprise fashion and was dubbed, by Mr. Mescudi himself, his best work yet.

At first listen, the vibes of all Cudi’s albums are present here. Cudi revealed that this album is supposed to be a bridge between his previous work and MOTM 3. In a sense, this is a continuation of the Man on the Moon theme and is a prelude to what is to come.

The instrumental on the opener, “Destination: Mother Moon” prepares the listener for the epic journey through the mind of Scott Mescudi. The feeling is that of boarding a spaceship. Next is “Going to the Ceremony.” The track, produced by WZRD (the duo of Cudi and producer Dot Da Genius), is laced with melodic guitar riffs and Cudi’s signature hums. Although this song was previously released back in July 2013, this would have been a fitting addition to the WZRD album, as would the following track “Satellite Flight.” The title track is the moment on the album when the journey truly begins–Cudi invites you into his “space whip.” The strings on this song are the final preparation for the “flight to the moon.”
Following the overly long and a touch too spacy “Copernicus,” a more personal portion of the album sets in. Cudder, with the help of Raphael Saadiq, croons his sexual desires and his need for a woman who will protect his heart on the provocative “Balmain Jeans.” The smooth track is followed by the most exciting song on the album: “Too Bad I Have To Destroy You.” The beat is boring, but it’s graced with Cudi’s return as a straight-away rapper, and for that alone, it’s a standout track. The angry tone throughout his verse is a huge plus, and it is always refreshing to hear Cudi in original form. Following “Too Bad I Have To Destroy You” is, unfortunately, the lowest point on the album, with “Internal Bleeding.” Cudi expresses his emotional struggles over hard hitting drums and techno-like synths. The repetitive lyrics and whining don’t do this track any good.

The feeling of approaching the destination is palpable in the album’s final three songs. The upbeat instrumental “In My Dreams 2015” places the listener back into Scott’s dreams and foreshadows what to expect from MOTM 3. The epic “Return of the Moon Man (Original Score)” features powerful horns that give an extremely cinematic feel. It would have been a far more perfect if Cudi dropped at least one 16, but it is still a dope track nonetheless. The album concludes with the melodic “Trouble Boy.” The song is distinctly motivational, with lyrics like “show them you’re a stronger boy,” appearing throughout.

Overall, Satellite Flight is a solid project. Not better than Indicud or his best work to date, but you can sense that Cudi is becoming more comfortable with producing his own music and experimenting with different sounds. This should hold fans for awhile until MOTM 3. We may have reached our destination, but Cudi has more instore for this journey.