3/24/20
2:34 AM
Donald Glover’s fourth studio album, 3.15.20 breaks the silence after four years as entertainment industry’s Swiss Army Knife, Childish Gambino’s continuation from his last full project, Awaken, My Love! Familiar and new envelop this album in more ways than one as the Glover’s genius is showcased yet again.
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Diving back into possibly his best craft— Donald Glover, in this case as Childish Gambino— retreats to music with the release of 3.15.20. As a project that identifies best as a mild experimental base with infusions of R&B, Hip-Hop, Poptronica, and Dance music— 3.15.20 is seemingly a very scientific record, as much of the track names are simply just the time stamps to the album, and the hypnotic and trancing qualities of the songs also add to the almost-robotic atmosphere to the composition. However, the nature of the album’s sound is actually quite quirky; while perhaps lacking a poetic or even personal layers in their labels, each track is greatly distinguishable to itself. 3.15.20 is both cohesive as a body of work while still having a touch of a variance at the same time. The overall generality of this work feels more akin to Gambino’s earlier work, Because the Internet as opposed to the more recent and organic Awaken, My Love! due to the usage of familiar components and sharing an entire basis of making a more computerized and experimental album in 3.15.20.
The content of this album mainly flirts between the balance of introspection and ignorance— engraving short flickers of reality within the transparencies of epicurean and haphazard fronts. From love to futility of parties, racial tension to Gucci jackets, purposelessness to environmental concern, and the digital takeover to familial bonds, the irony and satire often seen in Childish Gambino work persists. With contributions from artists like Ariana Grande, 21 Savage, and Kadhja Bonet, and Ludwig Göransson being one of the many collaborators on the project, 3.15.20 is more expansive than one would expect with great replay value and the majority of the album is reminiscent of 80’s dance music to a blend of contemporary mechanized elements.
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3.15.20 is weird, yet surely caring— an album in which the listener can find the inner workings of a creative striving to express and survive at the same time; showing the engagement between the psyche and its surroundings. Readily covering just about every conceivable thematic, the focus lies therein on none, therefore- all.
*lol the cover of this album is currently just a white square
Listen to the album below: