During the beginning of my freshman year at NIU, I was watching MTV2 one night when Kenna’s “Hellbent” came on the air.

This music video, done entirely in claymation, showed the daily struggle of one unhappy being until he found out how to package bliss into glasses.

He was crowned inventor of the year and grew rich and powerful. In the end though, he realized becoming blissfully happy was no easy fix. This was a very strong message to convey; it left me wanting more from this up-and-coming artist.

Fast-forward two years. Kenna finally releases his CD, but waiting this long has caused his release to fall under the radar for most mainstream audiences.

Kenna’s sound is best described as the backbone beats of a Gorillaz album blended with the lyrical content of a new age Madonna song, which isn’t as bad as it sounds. Some of his lyrics are deep, conquering such issues as alienation and self-doubt, as in his depressing ballad “War In Me.”

Honestly, Kenna’s debut album wasn’t worth waiting for. To release such a blazingly original single and sit on this album for two years is rude to the fans that loved his message in “Hellbent.”

He seems capable of writing a unique album, yet all he releases is an unbalanced disc of mostly dance songs with strong beats. I didn’t know whether to dissect the lyrics or break out the glowsticks.