Anderson .Paak: Malibu. Album Sketch

year: 2016

tones of: anthony hamilton, cody chestnutt, the roots, bruno mars (on heart don't stand a chance), d'angelo, james brown (come down)

genre samples: r&b, jazz, hip hop, soul, psychedelic rock

music: playful, artistic, rhythmic, bouncy, spacey, atmospheric, live, instrumental

lyrics: straightforward, story-telling, autobiographical, simple, realistic

vocals: smooth, crooning, raspy, emotional, earnest

favs: the season i carry me, the bird, put me through, the waters, heart don't stand a chance, without you, come down, silicon valley, the dreamer

score: 8/10

note:  in addition to being a singer and rapper, .Paak is also a talented producer - he actually produced six tracks on dr. dre's latest album.

Kanye West: The Life of Pablo. Album Sketch

year: 2016

tones of: old kanye, new kanye, derivative kanyes - you get the point

genre samples: hip hop, gospel, electronica, trap rap

music: industrial, warm, transcendent, jarring, demanding, haunting, comforting, spiritual, cascading

lyrics: honest, vulnerable, egotistical, frank, misogynistic, bombastic, meta, intelligent, hilarious

favs: fml, ultralight beam, real friends, i love kanye (insane brilliance on so many levels), feedback, famous, highlights, 30 hours

guest stars: chance raps out of his mind on "ultralight beam". frank ocean both softens and haunts "wolves". the weeknd is perfectly cast on "fml". ty dolla $ign is weird like always on "real friends". it's almost like kanye made these songs for them.

score: 8.5/10

note: meticulous production per usual. brilliant cubist in song change ups. stellar guest features. multilevel lyricism (back to pre yeezus levels). somewhat scattered but excellent, like a great playlist or shuffle session. kanye has still never made a bad album. impressive.