Artist: Childish Gambino Album: Atlavista Genre: Neo-Soul, Electronic Release Date: May 13th, 2024

Childish Gambino surprises us with “Atavista,” a polished re-release of his 2020 album “3.15.20.” Gambino originally released the unfinished record during the Covid-19 pandemic as a rushed love letter to his apocalypse anxiety and to his fans. Needing a master and a mix, Gambino resurfaced the entire album and dropped it alongside a list of tour dates. “Atavista” is an intimate album that somehow maintains oodles of mystique and disconnectivity. The words to the songs are new, but the album’s sound isn’t anything that we haven’t heard from Gambino before.

The re-release discarded three songs from the original and replaced two of them with new ones. The title track “Atavista” – previously 0.00 – kicks off the album with a bunch of sounds reminiscent of an obnoxious iPhone alarm before quickly transitioning to the much more enjoyable sound of a synthy piano and Gambino’s soulful vocals. The other newcomer is “Human Sacrifice,” a song that has been in the Gambino-verse since 2018 but was just now released. The song is full of messages of loneliness and desire but is accompanied by a dynamic arrangement that drags in the feeling of hope.

“Atavista” seems to be Childish Gambino’s most vocal-centered album. Tracks like “To Be Hunted” and “The Violence” showcase Gambino’s vocal abilities, reminding everyone he isn’t just a rapper. The incorporation of voice changers throughout the album also puts another emphasis on his voice. “Sweet Thang (feat. Summer Walker)” begins with a voice changer, distorting his voice across two pitches. He soon returns to his natural voice, and Summer Walker joins in with her own as well. Sliding right through the slow groove of the song, Gambino’s and Walker’s vocals pull you into sonic tranquility. Gambino also utilizes the voice changer in “Algorhythm,” creating an almost frighteningly dark voice before breaking it up with another melodic refrain.

One of the most popular songs on the album so far has been “Psilocybae (Millennial Love),” which features 21 Savage, Ink, and Kadhja Bonet. Detailing a night spent with a woman and some psilocybin, the lyrics are filled to the brim with the comedic wit that Gambino is known for. The track listens like a story and is paired with a terrific arrangement. 21 Savage’s feature is brilliant, maintaining some of his own style while melding in with Gambino’s work. Among “Psilocybae (Millennial Love)” in the features department, are “Time (feat. Ariana Grande),” “Sweet Thang (feat. Summer Walker),” and “Little Foot Big Foot (feat. Young Nudy).” “Time (feat. Ariana Grande)” is a war between pessimism and optimism. While battling through the constructs of time and meaning, we are delivered a lyrically and instrumentally stacked song. Still, Grande’s performance is a little underwhelming, and they weren’t able to sell me the message of the song. “Little Foot Big Foot (feat. Young Nudy)” was great until Young Nudy entered the track – arriving in a jarring and unpleasant manner. The instrumental smoothly transitions out of its playful melody, introducing what seems to be an exciting breakdown in the song, but Young Nudy’s verse feels random and clashes with the vibe of the rest of the track.

As we work our way through the album, we wind down towards the end of “The Violence” – which ends with a touching message from Gambino’s young child – but pick up again for one last encore. The last track is “Final Church,” a beguiling and powerful ending to the album. Gambino takes inspiration from gospel music and centers the song around faithful thought and self-reflection. Another conglomerate of melodic chaos, “Final Church” is the perfect send-off for an album of detachment, love, and inner turmoil.

Part of what makes Childish Gambino the great artist he is, is his unique sound. Yet, “Atavista” feels more like an amalgamation of vault tracks from previous albums rather than a new release. The record was undeniably well suited for 2020, packed with existentialism and doubt, but it might have a hard time finding its place now that it has been dragged four years into the future. Regardless, no one can deny Gambino’s talent and creative genius… we just hope he goes a little further with his album “Bando Stone and the New World,” set to arrive later this year.