Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.

Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.
2016
Spotify

It has been almost a year since To Pimp a Butterfly was released. Some would argue this was the album of the year, and perhaps one of the greatest hip hop records of all time. That would mean it was time to lay back, relax and enjoy the spoils of success but not for Kendrick. He is far to experimental, inquisitive and focused to let something like time or expectations effect him. While most of untitled unmastered. is clearly from the recording sessions of To Pimp a Butterfly it does have a life of it's own. untitled unmastered. feels much more like a Jazz record leaving room for improvisation both in the sound and the lyrics. Perhaps "05.28.2013" is the only complete song here with a point of view, a beginning and an end. The rest never has a sense of a start and an end, just sort of a flash in existence then it's gone. Even as incomplete thoughts the songs are transcendent, miles ahead of anything else currently happening in hip hop. One of the most interesting things about this release is it's smallness. Where Kanye goes full promotion, fashion show, twitter battles and exclusivity Kendrick takes the exact opposite approach. untitled unmastered. was a surprise release, zero promotion, essentially zero cost and more of a gift to fans than anything else. For an artist this big it is an incredibly interesting move going so far as to not even include song titles.

But don't let the scale fool you, this is a great record, and it is most likely just B-sides. What untitled unmastered. shows is that maybe calling yourself the greatest is not essential anymore in hip hop. Maybe the posturing and the boasting is just a mask for insecurity and when someone is actually at the top of their game it just is not necessary. Another really special aspect of this record really is the lack of production. On tracks where Kendrick changes his voice, not just pitch but into a completely different style you can see that this is not a production trick. Those moments are where Kendrick really shows his skill and his fluid style. Kendrick goes where the song needs to go rather than forcing a square peg into a round whole. The features are just a little cherry on top of one of the best sundaes you've ever had, and Kendrick allows his features to shine and only makes them better by partnering with them. One thing you will not hear is any of these tracks in a club or blasting out of a car window. This is a piece for experiencing alone and reflecting on, and it shows that hip hop has so much more potential than anyone could have ever imagined.

9.0 out of 10