I’m glad that enough people have delayed their albums that I actually get to talk about someone like Thundercat on this blog – the jazz bass virtuoso is one of the most incredible musicians working right now on a technical level and has done more than his fair share of taking good albums and making … Continue reading Thundercat – It Is What It Is
Funk
Childish Gambino – 3.15.20
After a somewhat confusing rollout involving a mysterious website that could only have come from the mind of the eccentric and boundlessly creative Renaissance man that is Childish Gambino, the “single-track opus” 3.15.20 has finally arrived on streaming services and it’s just as weird as you might expect – though not always in the best of ways. … Continue reading Childish Gambino – 3.15.20
Rapid Fire Reviews (LSD, Cage The Elephant, Lizzo)
LSD - Labrinth, Sia & Diplo Present... LSD While it seems like the oddest of pairings on paper, Diplo, Labrinth and Sia have teamed up for a brief project under the name LSD. Diplo is one of the most tried-and-true hitmakers in the business, and adding the nearly boundless voices of these British and Australian … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (LSD, Cage The Elephant, Lizzo)
Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, Sara Bareilles, Khalid)
Anderson .Paak - Ventura Only 5 months after his rap-heavy third studio album Oxnard, which kept a high level of quality but ultimately disappointed some fans searching for the feel-good charisma that coloured his breakout project Malibu, Anderson .Paak returns with the soul-based companion piece. Thank goodness he did. The singer, rapper and BEST teeth … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, Sara Bareilles, Khalid)
Rapid Fire Reviews (Gesaffelstein, Flume, Solange)
Gesaffelstein - Hyperion Endlessly experimental electronic producer Gesaffelstein tones down the weirdness a little with some more accessible instrumentals and big-name pop collabs for his second full-length project, Hyperion. Gesaffelstein was a major contributor to Kanye West’s Yeezus, the minimalist and industrial sound of which is currently everywhere you look in the world of pop … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Gesaffelstein, Flume, Solange)
Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, 6ix9ine, Mariah Carey)
Anderson .Paak - Oxnard Anderson .Paak’s highly anticipated third studio album Oxnard, executive produced by Dr. Dre himself, sees the James Brown-esque rising funk star continue to exude charisma and mic presence like no other, even if his style is a little less immediately unique and personal. Dre spins the album more towards his own … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, 6ix9ine, Mariah Carey)
Ella Mai – Ella Mai
UK throwback R&B artist and signee to DJ Mustard’s label Ella Mai explodes onto the scene with her debut self-titled studio album, after breaking through in a big way with the unlikely success of excellent single “Boo’d Up” – which has what is easily the cleverest flip of a lyric this year had to offer. … Continue reading Ella Mai – Ella Mai
Blood Orange – Negro Swan
British producer and psychedelic pop/R&B artist Dev Hynes, better known by his alias Blood Orange, releases his fourth studio album which offers both his most accessible music yet and his most powerful message. Negro Swan is mostly inspired by tales of discrimination against Hynes, an LGBT black man, in his youth, as multiple spoken word … Continue reading Blood Orange – Negro Swan
The Internet – Hive Mind
R&B/funk collective The Internet, now on its 4th studio album after the disbanding of parent group Odd Future, unleashes the collection of subdued, effortlessly cool tracks Hive Mind. Their young producer Steve Lacy, already making hits with other big name artists like Kendrick Lamar, brings his multi-instrumentalist skill to the complex jazz-funk instrumentals here, while … Continue reading The Internet – Hive Mind
Rapid Fire Reviews (Post Malone, Janelle Monae, Leon Bridges)
Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys Breakout artist of the year Post Malone plays it safe on his first album since exploding into the mainstream, offering over an hour of the same admittedly very addictive and fun formula that made “Rockstar" one of the year’s biggest hits. Malone is a master at making the kind of … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Post Malone, Janelle Monae, Leon Bridges)
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 