Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak seemed like a wacky one-off, but with the debut by Kanye protégé Kid Cudi, a genre is taking shape. "I've got some issues that nobody can see/And all of these emotions are pouring out of me," Cudi moans. The beats, supplied by indie faves Ratatat and MGMT, among others, range from tinkling Eighties synth pop ("Enter Galactic") to spooky minimalist hip-hop (the hit "Day 'N' Nite"). The music is engrossing and Cudi's angst genuine (he mourns his dead father), but his raps get pedestrian ("Gray clouds up above, man/Metaphor to my life, man"). And asserting ad nauseam that he is a "lonely stoner" is just annoying — a hipster boast masquerading as a confession.