Review: Childish Gambino, 'Awaken, My Love!'

Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino. Photo / Getty Images

Whatever any of us were expecting from Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover's) eagerly anticipated third album ... this definitely wasn't it.

Awaken, My Love! is a collection of funk, soul, blues, hip hop and R&B involving everything from synths to panpipes. Even the vocals provide a whole new array of instruments, as Glover sings, screams and moans in different voices.

But to call it experimental would be an understatement.

It almost feels like a continuation of his hit TV series Atlanta; in that it feels like a challenge to black and hip hop culture by pushing the limits of definition.

But at times it seems so contrived it's as if he's just pushing it to see how far he can go before the fans push back, and it doesn't always pay off either; some tracks - like Zombie and Redbone - are hard to wrap your head around.

But others - like Baby Boy, Me and Your Mama and Have Some Love - are so good that unpacking the layers to this album might just be payoff enough.

Childish Gambino, Awaken, My Love!

Artist:

Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover)

Album:

Awaken, My Love!

Label:

Universal

Verdict:

A funkadelic trip which is definitely never boring