Compton Review

As an object it is remarkable. He came back with horns, live drums, abrupt beat switches and a mix that is easily the most detailed thing he has put his name to, and he handed most of the microphone time to younger rappers who tear into it. Kendrick on Deep Water and Darkside Gone are the best guest verses on any of his records. Genocide and Talk About It are thrilling in two minute bursts.

The problem is that it never settles anywhere long enough to become a song you can hum, which for the man who made Nuthin but a G Thang is a strange failure. It plays like an extremely expensive demonstration of what a studio can do in 2015. Deserved respect and rarely reached for. That gap between craft and appetite is exactly what the vibe column is here to record, and this is a clean example of it.