Instead of the typical pseudo-definitive ranking of the “Best Albums of 2016,” this December we’re trying something different. The Rutgers Review is bringing you 31 days of our writers’ favorite albums this year, from internationally anticipated releases to local debuts to a few guilty pleasures, without caring what critics have had to say.
Anderson .Paak is a name that has quickly risen to fame in the hip-hop and R&B communities. Since his feature on Dr. Dre’s Compton last year, Paak has begun to be hailed as a modern day Nate Dogg with his features on 2016’s 99.9%, Blank Face LP, and even A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service. His tour also showcased his incredible on-stage energy, as he deftly switched from singing to dancing to rapping and even drummed certain songs, at times going as far as to kick his drummer off the kit mid-song so that he could do his thing.
Paak’s most important 2016 achievement, however, was his second full-length release: Malibu. The album is a flashy display of the artist’s diverse skills. Similar to his on-stage abilities, on Malibu Anderson .Paak cleanly switches tone from singing to rapping, from playful to sexy, from sexy to exciting and then suddenly back to playful again. He manages to establish himself as a prolific artist within just over an hour of summery bliss.
Malibu opens with the gorgeous neo-soul opener “The Bird.” Paak’s smooth voice wafts over easy-going instrumentals along with an infectious baseline. From the very start, Paak shows off his skill as an arranger. His musical talent combines with his ability to skillfully utilize others’ abilities, making him into a figure that can be likened to the Sufjan Stevens of hip-hop and R&B. Just as Stevens’ Illinois often juxtaposes sad ballads with upbeat tunes, Malibu’s soothing opener is followed by the more upbeat and sexy “Heart Don’t Stand A Chance.” Here Paak further shows off his capabilities by adeptly rapping while also highlighting Daniel Seeff’s guitar play with a wonderful solo right in the middle of the song. The next track, “The Waters” thrusts Paak’s hip-hop abilities into the spotlight with Madlib production and a tasty BJ the Chicago Kid feature.
In the first three tracks his artistry is already clear, but as Malibu goes on, Paak only further diversifies his abilities. The album has loads of hip-hop: beyond Paak’s rapping, notable guests include Madlib, ScHoolboy Q, Rhapsody, The Game and Talib Kweli. It features addictive dance beats on tracks like “Put Me Thru,” “Am I Wrong,” “Light Weight,” and “Come Down.” There are sexy songs such as “Without You” and “Water Fall” (which has the secondary title of “Interluuube”) and more playful tracks like “Your Prime,” which includes the line “she dumb as a brick but she pass all her classes. “Silicon Valley” is even so comical that the title likens breasts to mountains (“I just wanna know what’s under / that tender titty meat / they say the heart is underneath”). Songs like “Parking Lot” have dense and dreamy production, while others take a more stripped back approach (see “Celebrate”).
No matter which style he’s pursuing, Malibu shows that Anderson .Paak can make it work. Somewhere in the variety of well-executed fashions there is something for everyone. Even though Malibu sees the newcomer flaunting his diversified abilities, it manages to maintain an upbeat summery mood, a feat that is partially accomplished by the assortment of samples about surfing and a love for the warmer times in California. The feel-good atmosphere is capped by the closer “The Dreamer,” and as the music fades away, the Timan Family Choir’s chant of “don’t stop now, keep dreaming” gives hope for the listener and for the already blossoming career of Anderson .Paak.