A departure from his previous work, Childish Gambino’s “Awaken, My Love!” brought life back to the soul genre in 2016.  Blending traditional styles with modern production and avant-garde yet accessible tendings, this album was an unexpected turn from the lighthearted hip-hop Gambino was known for in the early 2010s,  It’s a timeless record blending sensibilities with traditional genres like soul, funk, and R&B.

Sparkling synths, falsetto vocals, and 808 bass morph into screamed vocals, and booming guitars introduce the record.  The first song, “Me and your Mama,” sets the stage beautifully and establishes the tone for later tracks like “Redbone” and “Riot,” both high points on the album.  This sound, as well as the traditionalist ensemble vocals on “Have Some Love” and the gorgeous funk instrumentation on tracks like “Zombies” and “Stand Tall,” create a unique experience blending modernism with an appreciation for the 60s and 70s soul aesthetics.  Many songs on the album give an almost Halloween vibe through lyrics, with titles such as “Boogieman” and the aforementioned “Zombies” – both providing a spooky interlude over smooth, yet high-energy beats.

Not all of the innovation on the record is good, though.  “Awaken, My Love!” experiments with cheesier, beach-rock sounds on the track “California” – an awful ska-type interlude with heavily autotuned vocals and reggae-like instrumentation.  While one can appreciate what Gambino was attempting to do here, it didn’t pan out and is one of the low points of the album.

Though the record sometimes fell flat with its more outlandish tracks, the vast majority is full of unparalleled soul-funk pushing modern R&B forward.  “Awaken, my Love!” more than makes up for its few weak moments with a powerful sound unlike anything we’ve heard from the last decade.

Overall Rating:  7.6/10

Fav Track:  “Me and Your Mama”