raynaissance

This album serves its purpose really well. Rihanna wanted to make an album beyond the boundaries of, for lack of better words, radio friendly pop music. Her previous albums had really just been a bunch of hit singles squished together among filler tracks. ANTI sees Rihanna explore new genres and styles that both strayed from pop music while also redefining the pop music landscape at the time. She gets a lot of flack for not writing or producing her work, but I think it takes skill to be able to ... read more

The differing soundscapes of this album, Sade's vocals and lyricism blend seamlessly to create such a soothing experience. My two favorite tracks: No Ordinary Love and Pearls represent what I love about this album as a whole. No Ordinary Love introduces both the soundscape and themes present throughout the album in this song. Pearls is a slight departure from the soothing experience that details the juxtaposition between women in Somalia and listeners. I think it does a phenomenal job of giving ... read more

Love the blend of genres and her at times cheeky and at other times wistful lyricism. Some tracks do feel a bit clunky but overall, it's a very solid debut.