Childish Gambino’s Redbone is the second song to be revealed from his forthcoming new album, Awaken, My Love! (Dec. 2 on Glassnote Records). Previously on Facebook, the musician prompted fans to listen and share the song, which is now available HERE. Earlier, BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac premiered Redbone on her show as a Hottest Record.
As Childish Gambino once again sheds his skin, Awaken, My Love! is a sonic evolution. It has been described as “R&B meets Pink Floyd,” by one journalist while others have cited an amalgam of rock, funk, and soul influences. It is a groundbreaking next step following the genre blending STN MTN / Kauai mixtape and the twice-Grammy nominated rap album, because the internet.
Zane Lowe debuted the album’s first track, Me and Your Mama last Thursday as a Beats 1 World Record and is now #3 and #4 on Spotify’s Global and U.S. Viral Charts, respectively. The immediate response to the track was as intense and wide-ranging as the song itself:
Rolling Stone – “The six-minute, three-part song begins quietly and builds to a soulful, grooving affair with a female gospel-tipped chorus, before it ratchets up into a stomping blues-funk second passage where Gambino’s passionate vocals kick in.”
NPR – “(Gambino) emits a blistering gospel-rock ethos sonically reminiscent of Parliament Funkadelic, OutKast and Pink Floyd.”
Hypebeast – “the album-opening track might be one of Gambino’s most soulful records yet and marks a significant departure from his previous sound and musical style.”
USA Today – “…six-plus minutes of psychedelic soul.”
Mic – “It’s a breathless, screeching gospel anthem, perhaps the boldest and most emotionally raw track the artist has ever attempted.”
SPIN – “It’s a gospel chorus-backed, multi-section song that features Gambino stretching his normally soothing singing voice into rock star strains.”
MTV – “The song begins as a dreamy lullaby, then crashes down into rambling funk-rock as Glover aggressively strains his voice. An extended instrumental section at the end supplies the comedown and infuses more soul into the mix, capping off one hell of an adventurous ride.”
XXL – “The song has a rock/soul feel, filled with synths and strings, while Gambino wails across the song.”
Hot New Hip Hop – “It’s a 6-minute, 3-part epic that moves from a psychedelic lullaby to a rambling, bluesy section with anguished singing.”
DJ Booth – ““Me and Your Mama” starts off with a spacey, soulful set-up before everything comes crashing down half-way through with some aggressively fuzzy soul. Gambino channels equal parts Prince and Ray Charles as the track reaches a crescendo before settling back into the ethereal vibe of the intro.”