Ten Years Later: Revisiting Kid Cudi’s ‘Indicud’ – A Psych Journey Bending At His Own Will

For some, Kid Cudi’s third album Indicud (released 4/16/13) marked the end of an era for the artist. After the immense success of his mind-boggling debut and sophomore releases that tied into each other like an expertly crafted knot, the world had its eyes on the Bape-drenched crooner. Even though those first two albums played in similar fields, those fields held a wide array of bright colors and beaming creativity that inhabits the brain of Kid Cudi, leaving the sonic direction of his third album as a question mark. That question only becomes more complicated with the release of Cudi’s rock-heavy collaboration with super producer Dot da Genius, 2012’s WZRD. With a sonic palette that dips in and out of perceptions from different realities while staying grounded thanks to Cudi’s dark vulnerability, 2013 saw the Clevland-bred everyman move on from his first two releases faster than any of us could have. 

The 18-song album appeared like a shooting star and left us in awe the same way the cosmic phenomenon would. This album wasn’t a departure from the Cudi we fell in love with, it was our introduction to the true Kid Cudi. While his first two albums both executed the idea of honesty in music to the fullest extent and even redefined what it meant to put yourself out there, the pressures of creating those two albums were lifted while making Indicud. With two smash-hit albums under his belt, Cudi was able to explore new areas of his creativity, and the sound he landed on allowed a new side of Cudi to be revealed. 

Indicud was entirely produced by Cudi himself, with the exception of Hit-Boy (“Red Eye”) and the aforementioned Dot da Genius lending a helping hand where needed, every wrapping melody came straight from Cudi himself. Cudi taking the role of executive producer for his third album was a bold choice, he had every resource in the world in the palm of his hands and could’ve easily brought in producers that would make the liner notes of the album look like a list of Grammy nominations. Instead, Cudi fearlessly took on the immense responsibility of producing his own LP and in doing so created a sound that has not yet been duplicated, even by Cudi himself. Indicud still stands as Cudi’s most unique album, you will not find drums that sound as crisp yet off-putting as the ones used on “Mad Solar”. His approach to the sonic structure of this album gave it such nuanced, unique qualities that are still misunderstood a decade after its initial release. 

Kid Cudi was synonymous with the idea of sad music, and Indicud set out to change that. In the midst of trying to figure himself out, Cudi’s songwriting would go into excruciating detail about the artist’s struggle with mental health and substances. His third outing saw the artist somewhat accepting his tumultuous depression and anxieties and not allowing them to define him anymore. This new lease on life made Indicud more light-hearted and carefree, songs like “Brothers” or “Immortal” are two of the more positive songs on the album while also feeling like the most genuine. Even a song like “Lord of The Sad and Lonely” is delivered with a confident smirk.  

Indicud didn’t mark the end of the Man On The Moon series, it sparked the beginning of Kid Cudi coming into his own. With very few hands on the sonic direction of his third album, he was able to craft a psychedelic journey that bends at his will. He used this newfound freedom to piece together 18 songs that explore unfamiliar territory while still showing signs of the rock nerd hidden in Cudi. With every opportunity in the world laid in front of him, Kid Cudi chose to retreat into his own world, removing himself from the excitement of his first two releases in order to find a sound that truly encapsulates Cudi’s endless creativity.

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