KENDRICK LAMAR 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: The reviews that followed the recent release of Kendrick Lamarr's first album in five years, Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, were universally positive. Of course, he's always been one of hip-hop's most insightful and thought-provoking MCs, with a passion for utilising backing tracks that sidestep hackneyed rap tropes and lazy samples, but even by his high standards this album is something special - as this differently packaged Japanese edition proves. Impeccably produced, with countless musical twists and turns, spellbinding instrumentation and all manner of guest stars, it sees Lamarr lyrically signposting his own failings and character flaws within a wider framework of accountability. It's brave but brilliant, with some of the topics covered including his relationship with money, his father, gender and generational trauma. A genuinely landmark album.

Review: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, the Compton-based rapper's first album since 2012's major label debut, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, has been receiving rave reviews. In truth, it's not hard to see why. Imaginative, soulful, and blessed with the looseness of live performance (a result of the use of jazz-minded live players as much as anything else), it sounds like the kind of album that may one day be hailed as a hip-hop classic. Sure, there are big name guests - Dre, Snoop, George Clinton and Thundercat included - but the focus remains on Lamar's distinctive flow and almost cinematic tales of life on L.A's streets. Given the quality of his lyrics, that's no bad thing.