BoraBora said:

Genesia said:

In a way, I almost wish it had been his final album.

It is his final album.

The two HNR releases are nothing more than some kind of archival collections like the 1998 "Crystal Ball", not a proper concepted album.

AOA is P's final album.

But both HNR albums have distinct, individual sounds of their own. Sure, the titles make them sound like what you described, but sonically they were clearly put together with far more musical consistency than a 'Crystal Ball.'

Phase One and Phase Two sound nothing alike.

[Edited 6/24/16 7:04am]

BoraBora said:

Genesia said:

In a way, I almost wish it had been his final album.

It is his final album.

The two HNR releases are nothing more than some kind of archival collections like the 1998 "Crystal Ball", not a proper concepted album.

AOA is P's final album.

I completely agree with you both. I remember saying "Uh Oh, this sounds like good-bye" when I listened to it after it's release.

WhisperingDandelions said:

But both HNR albums have distinct, individual sounds of their own. Sure, the titles make them sound like what you described, but sonically they were clearly put together with far more musical consistency than a 'Crystal Ball.'

HNR1 is made of:

- a 1990's track revised

- two remixes of AOA tracks

- three tracks officially released in the two years before

- five tracks we're not sure of the year recording (the duet with Rita Ora was known from time)

HNR2 is more or less the same affair, with a single from 3 years before, a single from 2 years before, a 1980's track revised and already officially released, other 3 tracks officially released in the months before and the rest of the track we're not sure of the year recording but probably even more dated than the HNR1 tracks ("Big City" to say one).

The entire HNR project sounds like an archival release, in the same vein of "Crystal Ball" (and with the same defect, like the superflous remixes).

Just my opinion.