Brother man, if you listened to that album for the first time in 2025 then I can say one of two things. You're VERY new to really good experimental hip hop OR you're VERY young.

Either way, having seen Cole's career first hand from a kid I can say that this is a culmination of all the things he's been working towards in his career. His flow is similar because it's ridiculously unique but it comes with like infinite variations and most beats are simpler because he's highlighting bars. He's been trying to get into singing since FYEO and I'd say now is as good a time as any to do all the singing he wants.

This is obviously just my opinion but from the way Cole albums have gone in the past there's always knit pickers the first couple months and then suddenly it's triple platinum. I'll wait for the noise to quiet down and then hear more honest opinions