Kendrick then takes it to the next level on ‘Untitled 06’, making himself (along with a featured Cee-Lo Green) surely one of the only rappers in this day and age to effectively spit over a bossa-nova style beat, forcing his audience to lean back and enjoy his verses, with lyrics narrating his encounters with a “goddess of the eye”.įinally, ‘Untitled 08’ sees a return of a more traditional hip-hop beat, with a slight funk influence, reminding the listener of Kendrick’s west coast roots. Anna Wise’s accompanying vocals on ‘Untitled 05’ place the listener in a dark, jazz club environment, complemented by Punch and Jay Rock’s relaxed bars and a heavy combination of bass drum, snare, and crash cymbal. This album truly makes you appreciate not only the unique lyrical styles of Kendrick Lamar but also the talent of the mainly acoustic instrumentalists who accompany him. ‘Untitled 01’ opens the album, defined by its vibrant double bass and untempo drums, along with the now unmistakeable flow of Mr Lamar.

And if you liked TPAB, you’ll surely love the free jazz vibes that Kendrick has made his own on this album, too. ‘Untitled Unmastered’ consists of eight tracks, each simply numbered and dated. We were only graced with the five Grammy award-winning To Pimp a Butterfly in March last year, so it’s safe to say that rumours of another Kendrick drop were few and far between.

Its minimalist, shady cover rather fits with the little we heard about it, its title: ‘Untitled Unmastered’. What a time to be alive-in February alone, Hip Hop fans were listening to the likes of Future’s EVOL, Khalifa, and Kanye’s long-awaited The Life of Pablo, none of which failed to capture our hearts.Īnd now, within the first week of March, we find ourselves with a Kendrick project being dropped out of nowhere.

Untitled unmastered review