UGLY

Pitchfork 5.5/10 The British rapper’s third album is likely to be his most polarizing: He trades rapping and electronic beats for ballads and rage rock. The results are largely underwhelming.

The Needle Drop 8/10 slowthai's third album is high-impact sonically and emotionally.

NME 5/5 The Northampton artist enlists Fontaines D.C., Shygirl and more on this exhilarating return to his punk-rap roots.

The Line of Best Fit 8/10 With a wholehearted desire to make music purely for himself, UGLY displays an artistic freedom regained, reconnecting with what drew him to music in the first place.

Evening Standard 3/5 This album is menacing, extreme and the lyrics frequently sound despairing.

DIY 5/5 slowthai’s newest is the work of an artist clearly more excited than ever about what he himself can do now he’s booted his own doors wide open. ‘UGLY’ is a beautiful thing to behold.

The Independent 4/5 After a disappointing second album, this is a direct transmission from a brilliant, beleaguered brain.

All Music 4/5 It's clearly a challenging, confrontational album, but it also feels like the artist's purest expression yet.

Gigwise 8/10 With guests ranging from Fontaines DC, Shygirl and long-term producer Kwes Darko, the album is by far his most accomplished to date. You’d be hard pressed to find an artist more complete than Slowthai in the industry right now.

Clash 7/10 A bold attempt to embrace his contradictions, this is a project held together by the brutal strength of slowthai’s performances. Amid all his flaws, fractures, and fissures, his day-glo emerges intact. U Gotta Love Yourself, after all.

Loud and Quiet 7/10 Intense, disastrous, and confrontational, but also, tender, empathetic, and reflective, UGLY is a record routinely hijacked by its shadow.

Slant 3.5/5 The British rapper embraces a caffeinated punk sound that suggests a cross between Cockney Rejects and Dizzee Rascal.

The Guardian 5/5 Fusing rap, alt-rock and abrasive electronics, the Northampton rapper mints a sound all his own on his third album.

Spectrum Culture 65% UGLY is an uneven, flawed record, but it contains enough interesting moments that will be genuinely thrilling to see what Slowthai does next.

Beats Per Minute 75% “I give you everything I’ve got / Until the last fucking bone I have”, slowthai declares, the word ‘have’ descending into a distressed, feral cry – a testament to the unparalleled catharsis that runs through UGLY, and that makes such a challenging LP ultimately worthwhile.

The Telegraph 4/5 Ugly makes for difficult listening in places, but that’s not to say it isn’t often brilliant.

RapReviews.com 7.0/10 I think “UGLY” is an album that will probably be appreciated more 25 years from now than it is today. Good on you Tyron.