With laid-back beats and a slow methodical sense of rhyming, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (a.k.a. Odd Future), has released an album titled The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2.

The rap group from L.A. has been recently placed on the mainstream map since the group’s leader, Tyler, The Creator, won the Video of the Year Award at the MTV Video Music Awards for his track “Yonkers” in 2011.

The group is a collective of a multitude of different rappers all ranging is style and flow. Along with Tyler, The Creator, Odd Future is home to rappers Hodgy Beats, Earl Sweat Shirt, Domo Genesis, Mike G. and Frank Ocean. Odd Future also is home to many non-music members such as producer Left Brain, Syd tha Kid and Matt Martians.

The majority of beats have a mid-tempo rhythm to them, creating a sound that is not often heard in the rap genre today, reminiscent of mid-’90s hip hop like De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest. Each track seems another argument to dismiss the groups label as horrorcore or indie rap.

The rhymes on the album are extremely smooth and very methodical. Tyler, The Creator has mastered this slow rap, working through each line as if it were a puzzle piece to create a unique sound. His style is complemented nicely by the soulful singing of Frank Ocean on most of the tracks.

But the album seems lacking in any substance. Most lyrics have to do with fighting, having sex and getting money, but they’re oddly different from other rap music that touches on these subjects in light of the fact that Odd Future’s songs are clearly not solely dedicated to them.

If there is anything stranger than the lyrics, though, it is definitely the music videos. Released as a single, the music video for the track “Rella” shows Tyler, The Creator dressed as a centaur snorting a ridiculous amount of cocaine on top of a hill.

As Vol. 2 progresses, it transitions roughly from one track to the next, bringing the listener through a variety of different sounds. “Rella” is upbeat, making the probability high that it will be heard soon playing at your local frat party. The album then moves very quickly into the track “White,” a soulful experience from singer Frank Ocean, similar to that of Jon Legend.

The inconsistency in flow, though, does not take away from the project’s overall quality. Vol. 2 would be perfect for a long road trip or just walking to class, as it keeps the listener guessing as to what is going to be heard next.

Odd Future are working their way up as a collective, and The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2 will certainly help them gain further standing in the rap community. They do, however, certainly have a long way to go if they seek to gain a stronger following.

3 stars out of 5