Released: November 12, 2021
Genre: RnB/Soul/Funk-Pop
Run Time: 31 minutes
What do you get when two Grammy award winners like Hawaii’s RnB singer songwriter Bruno Mars and California’s singer, rapper, drummer, song-writer Anderson .Paak, come together? You get the duo Silk Sonic and a word I don’t throw around too often… a goddamn MASTERPIECE.
Now I’ll be honest, these two are in my top 10 artists of all time, so I may come off as a little biased. However, even as a general music lover, the raw natural chemistry between Mars and .Paak is a literal match in heaven.
Bruno’s angelic and powerful vocal range, mixed with Anderson’s raspy and charismatic vocals and rapping make for some of the best vocal harmonies I’ve heard in years.
The Silk Sonic duo isn’t afraid to wear their influences on the LP, hitting on all the right nostalgia bones, this album is perfect for a Melbourne summer; whether you’re along Altona beach gliding on your roller skates or skateboard grooving at Newport to the infectious bass and drums on the second single ‘Skate’, or at a 70’s costume party in Footscray listening to the braggadocious and witty ‘Fly As Me’.
One of the standouts on the LP is ‘After Last Night,’ a beautiful, sexy and lustful song about having that cheeky one night with that special someone and agonising over not getting them out of their heads.
But the real left hook of the album in regards to energy, pacing and the overall vibe comes from ‘Put on a Smile’, a slow-paced sad love song about a girl who got away, having all their celebrity ego and pride get the best of them.
By far one of my favourite albums of the year, the audacity of these artists to unapologetically pluck at our nostalgia chords and bask in your cravings for playful 70’s RnB, charming soul and boisterous funk.
Score: Strong 9
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2021 TO LIST TO OVER SUMMER
(No particular order)
- An Evening With Silk Sonic – Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak
- USEE4YOURSELF – IDK
- DONDA – Kanye West
- 30 – Adele
- CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST – Tyler, The Creator
- Table for Two – Lucky Daye
- Vince Staples – Vince Staples
- Sour – Olivia Rodrigo
- Sometimes I Might Be Introvert – Little Simz
- Hitlers Wears Hermes 8: Side B – Westside Gunn
