Every artist has some niche, some artists’ niches are having no niche, it’s that uncomfortable line that blurs as you approach avant garde from one dimensional. Maybe Theophilus London isn’t in that blur, maybe his niche is so clear that it’s not even a niche at all.

London’s music never makes listeners want to think about a niche, or even overthink labeling artists at all. “Vibes,” his new album released Oct. 24, is just a better “Timez are Weird These Days” (2011) and fans wouldn’t want anything else.

“Water Me” is a great intro track whose hook makes the track. The change of pace and overall catchy-ness of hooks carried this album in some parts where it was really needed.

“Neu Law” and “Smoke (Interlude)” feel like something out of Nicolas Winding Refn’s film “Drive.” It instills youth, it stands for rising against “The Man”. It sonically feels like a revolution, more than drifting down streets or speeding down residential areas.

Calling London’s music 80’s inspired might be true, but it’s like calling John Maus 80’s inspired. When you hear songs like “Can’t Stop,” which was one of the best tracks heard this whole year, it might have 80’s driven sounds but it’s so rebellious that labelling it would be a crime, ironically.

Maybe it was Kanye’s verse, which many listeners deemed to be reminiscent to “Old Kanye” but “Can’t Stop” is such a standout. As you listen it wasn’t just Yeezus’ verse. You can tell London didn’t put the Kanye verse first so they could cut him off once this hits the radio but because it’s just a beautiful transition.

The percussion was also terrific. “Get Me Right” has some of the best drums out of the whole album even though it fell a bit short from having replay value.

London’s always been into fashion, which is what the whole album felt like since Karl Lagerfeld artistically directed it. Fashion never internally stood for thin women with pretty faces and four figure shirts, it stood for much more. It stood for youth. It stood for doing whatever you wanted and even if you were labeled by someone who knows nothing about what you stand for, not caring; evoking emotion and leaving off for another endeavour.

Overall, the album had either great tracks or good one time listens but tracks like “Tribe” and “Can’t Stop” can be revisited any time.

From a scale of “the pressure level of 2 10-5 Pa (20 micro Pascal, 0.02 mPa)” to “VIBES!” I give this album an “Independently Fun Vibe.”