It is with a certain sadness for his fans across mediums that Donald Glover has declared 'Bando Stone and the New World' the last Childish Gambino album. The ostensible soundtrack to a feature-length movie of the same name, the hour-long project includes snippets of dialogue that hint at the film’s apocalyptic subject matter. The fact that the soundtrack is preceding the actual film is part of Glover’s strategy: He wants listeners to work to figure out what they’re listening to. “The soundtrack forces the audience to participate in a way that I don't feel like most things force you to participate,” he says. “It forces you to have an imagination. I already see people being like, 'This is very cinematic, this must be the part that... This feels like a credit sequence.' A lot of stuff feels flat because it's not asking you to participate. Art used to be you had to participate on some level and have some sort of thought process on it. You can't just be like, 'Oh, this is mid.'” Even without the benefit of the full visuals, these 17 tracks make for a satisfying swan song that synthesizes what came before with fresher ideas gleaned from the threshold of finality.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Despite how you feel, It seems a natural choice for Glover to focus on his huge acting talent rather than his equally huge music talent, it's surprising that he's managed to keep both afloat at this level for so long. A brilliant musician, performer and songwriter presenting his last album under this moniker is obviously something to mourn, but it's superbly nuanced and supremely beautiful. PLUS, it's been presented before the film it's the soundtrack of, so it stands alone! genius.TRACK LISTING
1. H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT T0 F7¥
2. Lithonia
3. Survive Feat. Chlöe
4. Steps Beach
5. Talk My Shit Feat. Amaarae & Flo Milli
6. Got To Be
7. Real Love
8. In The Night Feat. Jorja Smith & Amaarae
9. Yoshinoya
10. Can You Feel Me Feat. Legend
11. No Excuses
12. Cruisin' Feat. Yeat
13. We Are God
14. Running Around Feat. Fousheé
15. Dadvocate
16. Happy Survival Feat. Khruangbin
17. A Place Where Love Goes
