Flying Colours (Shad album)

Flying Colours is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Shad, released in Canada on 15 October 2013.

The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.

Reception
Flying Colours garnered generally positive reviews from music critics. Tabassum Siddiqui of NOW gave high praise to the versatile production and lyrical delivery made throughout the album, concluding that "the result is a record that fully reveals all of Shad's musical colours." Jacob Lorinc of The Varsity praised the lyrical content for tackling socio-political topics without coming across as obvious and trite when going for positivity, saying that "Although he is still an underdog in the world of hip-hop, Shad’s clever rhymes and intricately woven verses throughout Flying Colours show the rapper’s ability to cover all sorts of ground on this album." Aaron Matthews of Exclaim! said that despite some out-of-place tracks, he praised the album for its vast use of different genres and instruments, and Shad's continued growth as a mature rapper, calling it "a wake-up call to anyone sleeping on Canadian rappers and Shad's coming for the crown next time." Flying Colours was named the 49th best Canadian album of the 2010s, by Exclaim!.

Personnel
Adapted from the Flying Colours liner notes.


 * Bryden Baird – trumpets
 * Trent Reschney – saxophones
 * Sebastian Ostertag – cello
 * Allison Stewart – viola
 * Tanya Charles – violin
 * Ian Koiter – string arrangements, bass, keyboards, synths, acoustic guitar
 * Max Zipursky – synths, pianos
 * Michael Libis – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
 * Shad – electric guitar
 * Skratch Bastid – drum programming
 * Andrew Hootsalack – drum programming
 * Jahmal Tonge – live drums
 * Ayo Leilani – additional vocals
 * Elijah Walsh – engineer
 * Crispin Day – engineer
 * Rob Stefanson – engineer
 * Elisa Pangseng – engineer
 * Michael Tompkins – engineer
 * Dan Weston – mixer
 * Tom Coyne – mastering
 * Justin Broadbent – album art, photography