Malibu (album)

Background

The album is described as the beginning of his potential commercial breakthrough, following his prominent role on Dr. Dre's album Compton (2015). Paak is featured on six songs on Compton, including "Animals". The track was produced by DJ Premier. Although, the track was initially slated for his 2016 album, Malibu. Dr. Dre later approved to have the track featured on his album Compton.

Critical reception

Malibu received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 18 reviews. Andy Kellman of AllMusic said, "Compared to the impressive and occasionally brilliant Venice, this album's mix of high and hard times has deeper resonance." Alejandra Ramirez of The Austin Chronicle said, "There's effortless, unhurried groove as he slides from the disarming grit of Nineties hip-hop in "Without You" to Sixties soul on "The Bird" and honey-dripped R&B with "Am I Wrong"." Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound said, "For its lyrical and musical scope, Malibu brings to mind a number of excellent albums, ranging from Stevie Wonder's Innervisions to, yes, Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly." Kyle Anderson's review for Entertainment Weekly states that "Malibu defies categorization," attributing that to .Paak's "versatility and his willingness to take detours, not all of which work." Anderson calls "Silicon Valley" "well-meaning but dopey," but praises "Am I Wrong" as "the best Outkast song since that pair folded."

Erin Lowers of Exclaim! said, "A rose from concrete, Malibu offers a sense of wonder that's carefully rooted in funk and soul, and presents a complete vision from a blossoming new artist that's not only fearless, but leading something of a sonic revolution." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said, "Malibu—his second album under this moniker, following a stretch under the name Breezy Lovejoy—is multilayered. It's also incisive, languorous and deeply felt, a warm bath of studiously relaxed hip-hop and soul." Dami Solebo of PopMatters said, "The reason for this broad interest is his ability to aptly infuse various musical styles under the R&B umbrella. Moreover, his ability to make uptempo soul without losing his ability to invoke a response more typical of downtempo sounds is particularly impressive." Steve Yates of Q magazine stated, "On the rich and dazzling Malibu, Anderson .Paak has truly found his voice."

Pitchfork's Marcus J. Moore awarded the album with a Best New Music rating, drawing comparisons between Paak and Kendrick Lamar, writing that "much like Kendrick Lamar, .Paak skillfully depicts his surroundings while remaining in the foreground" and that ".Paak's quicksilver flow on "Your Prime" feels teleported in directly from To Pimp a Butterfly as the music flows expansively from creamy soul harmonies to trap cadences." Sheldon Pearce of Spin said, "The tonal palette is warm and lush, with a transporting quality that's twofold, sending the listener both to the artist's western locale and back in time." The Wall Street Journal calls it an improvement on his previous album Venice, stating "on the new disc, Paak combines his varied interests into something familiar yet distinctive, bringing old-school R&B into the moment with his voice..." Christopher M. Weingarten of Rolling Stone said, "The music isn't always as dynamic as his thoughts, opting for a mostly mellow mood that matches the LP's carefree samples of surfing documentaries, but doesn't always capture their freewheeling individuality."

Personnel

Album credits adapted from Malibu digital booklet.