Album Review: Anderson .Paak

The last two years has certainly been a journey for Anderson .Paak. From being an opener for Watsky’s All You Can Do Tour, releasing his first debut studio album “Venice,” to being a key feature on Dr. Dre’s “Compton,” it’s no surprise to see .Paak has outdone himself once again on his newly released project, “Malibu.”

Ever since school has started back up again I’ve been doing only two things – binge watching The Office and listening to “Malibu.”. After running through the album a good 4 to 5 times, I thought I’d give my two cents about .Paak’s newly released sophomore album.

FIRST OFF, the old school jazz influences I get from this album… oh, my god. “Celebrate,” “The Bird,” and “Your Prime” certainly give a sense of who .Paak is trying to portray himself as he experiments and grows as an upcoming R&B artist.

.Paak keeps it light-hearted in key tracks like “The Waters,” “Light Weight,” and “Heart Don’t Stand A Chance.” Chorus and bass heavy, these songs complement Anderson’s unique rhythm and flow. Although the verses tend to not stick into your mind through the first listen, there’s something charismatic about his tracks. It almost seems as if this album was meant to make you feel as if you are in the room with him as he dices it out onto a drum set.

The energy does not stop there either. .Paak kicks it up a notch with fast tempo tracks like “Come Down,” one of the very first songs I had to press replay multiple times because it just was that awesome, “Am I Wrong,” and “Parking Lot.” If you’re looking for some feel-good songs guaranteed to bring you out of a funk, look no further because these tracks will do the trick.

However, sweet and slow aspects of this album are not ignored. .Paak slides back and gives a gradual charm to certain songs which you’ll have to give a listen or two to truly appreciate. Examples of these kinds of tracks include “Water Fall (Interluuube)” “The Season | Carry Me,” “Silicon Valley,” and “Without You.” The most sensual song has got to be “Room in Here” with .Paak’s breathy voice. Need a song for that special someone? Anderson just gave you several.

Finishing off “Malibu” is “The Dreamer,” a song not to be underestimated. If there was at least one song I had to pick in order to embody “Malibu” as whole, this one would be it.

TL;DR: Anderson .Paak’s way of approaching R&B and fusing it with hip-hop and jazz influences will have you entranced. I know I probably raved and rambled about it a lot in my review but I’m not kidding when I say this was a pretty rock solid album. Certainly the best of what he has done so far and it has me anxious for his next endeavor.

Listen to: Come Down, Am I Wrong (feat. ScHoolboy Q), Parking Lot, Room in Here (feat. The Game), The Waters (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid), The Season | Carry Me, Celebrate, The Dreamer

Skip over: Put Me Thru, Silicon Valley, Light Weight (feat. The Free Nationals United Fellowship Choir)

Rating: 4.9/5

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