Awaken, My Love!
| Childish Gambino
Awaken, My Love!
"Awaken, My Love!" is the third studio album by American rapper Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. Consisting of tracks being sung rather than rapped, its fusion of psychedelic soul, funk, and R&B influences were considered a bold departure from the predominantly hip-hop style of his prior work. The album was produced by Glover and his longtime collaborator, Ludwig G ransson. - Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The tracks are embellished with intricate details throughout, like the delicate xylophone on “Terrified.”
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Rolling Stone
Only time will tell if Childish Gambino has remade himself into the post-millennial D’Angelo. But for now, “Awaken, My Love!” is an enthralling trip into the land of funk.
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Hip Hop Dx
The album transpires without so much as a lyrical couplet — exchanging raps for electromagnetic soul and fluorescent funk — and will ultimately be remembered for its experimentation over its execution.
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The Guardian
Awaken, My Love is full of tiny rewarding details: the pinched surf guitar of California; the squalling organ blasts of the Parliament-Funkadelic-ish Riot. Only the limitations of his voice occasionally let him down – he doesn’t quite have the range to nail Awaken’s more ostentatious vocal lines.
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Spin
Childish Gambino needed to hit a hard reset on his story. Finally, the narrative is going somewhere good.
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Consequence of Sound
If Glover can fuse this drive for genuine emotion and the power of reality with that wit and inventive mind for words, an even greater accomplishment may lie ahead.
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The New York CTimes
The songs recognize, instead, that for all the changes in styles over the decades, other conditions persist — human needs and weaknesses, societal pressures — and that music still strives to face down the problems without stopping the party.
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Complex
Glover’s voice isn’t strong enough, his songwriting isn’t as deeply felt—in fact, the lyrics are often banal—and his band doesn’t have the chops.
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Vulture
This is, without a doubt, the most accomplished batch of songs of Donald Glover’s musical career.
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DJ Booth
Art that makes you feel is art that you don’t forget, and "Awaken, My Love!" is an unforgettable experience from beginning to end.
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Paste Magazine
Is “Awaken..” a re-invention or just a one-off project?
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Ear Milk
Awaken, My Love! is an exploration not only of sounds, some of which we haven't heard in decades, but also emotions that Gambino is displaying for us all.
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Hot New Whip
Awaken, My Love! is a psychedelic soul/funk album, straight up.
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All Music
Awaken, My Love is a stone-cold blast from beginning to end.
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Slant Magazine
A maddening ride with an authenticity problem, Awaken, My Love! finds Glover confusing his idols for muses.
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The National Arts and Culture
It’s a trippy ride worth taking.
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The Irish Times
Awaken, My Love! adds another destination to his creative map.
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Megazine
Gambino has tapped into something that is abundantly new yet comfortably familiar.
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Dead End Hip-Hop
Awaken, My Love! is an expansion of what Donald Glover can do with his sound. It’s a new look into the latest phase of his life given his parental status now.
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The Odyssey
The only things I would say you should know going in is that this is not a rap album. If you can get past this and just listen to this album for the good music, and great song writing.
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Rock Haq
Awaken, My Love is greater than the sum of its parts.
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Subjective Sounds
Most importantly, however, I truly love the music and feel it is more revolutionary than evolutionary.
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USA Today
Glover clearly intended listening to Awaken, My Love! as a cosmic experience, so it's going to take more than a few listens to grasp it, for better or worse.
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The Young Folks
The creativity and courage that Gambino incorporated into this project is admirable. Maybe it’ll take a few plays for us to love it like we should.
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808s and Blues
Awaken, My Love is a triumph of creativity and musical dexterity, proving that imagination is and will remain superior to logic.
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Vibe
Awaken serves as a healer for all of us—not just the brokenhearted—and a reminder that there’s always more to the tectonic shifts we’ve experienced.
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Exposé
Compared to Gambino’s previous albums, “Awaken, My Love!” is – without sacrificing vitality and impact – altogether smoother and less rambunctious.
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XXL Magazine
While these blurred lines make this album a little hard to follow, "Awaken, My Love!" proves his versatility as a rapper turning over a new leaf.
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National Public Radio
From the freaky, bone-rattling bass right up to the falsetto vocals, "Awaken, My Love!" celebrates the kind of groove-making that can free your mind.
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VagueH Visages
AML is a deeper effort, more enriching and, well, not shitty.
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Baeble Music
He proved to us that he can pretty much do anything.
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Under the Radar
Awaken, My Love is a bright, adventurous and well crafted record.
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Vidette Online
He’s one of the most talented people on this planet, which may make it unfair to hold this album to such a high standard, but comparing his previous work to “Awaken My Love” isn’t even close.
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Get the Standard
Awaken, My Love is a resounding step in the right direction.
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Spectrum Culture
Awaken My Love, represents a drastic departure from all that’s come before it.
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Eleven 03
"Awaken, My Love" is a spectacle compared to previous Childish Gambino productions.
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Clash Music
Looks like Childish Gambino is offering a light at the end of the tunnel.
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Amino Apps
Gambino’s vocal performances are all over the place, but, most of the time, work.
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Vavel
Glover's dive into the world of funk and soul is one that should be taken seriously by the music world.
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Under the Radar Magazine
"Awaken, My Love!" is full of exactly those kinds of risks, but they don't always pay off.
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Renowned for Sound
“Awaken, My Love!” is a major step up from Glover’s previous work.
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The Star
Gambino explores a different dimension of music without confinement. He proves that he has a lot to offer. Brilliant.
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Okay Player
My first take listen to “Awaken, My Love!” was invigorating, energizing, a bit therapeutic in parts and an all-around healthy experience.
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The Musical Hype
Donald Glover – aka Childish Gambino – trades rhymes for singing on his ambitious third studio album, “Awaken, My Love!”
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DIY Magazine
It’s an enduringly versatile record from start to finish; and Childish Gambino doesn’t just pay homage to a genre, he completely inhabits it.
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The Music
Not just some of Gambino's best work, but some of the best out there.
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AV Music
It was easy to sleep on the nerd rap of Childish Gambino before. Awaken, my love.
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Inquisitr
While the risks taken on Awaken My Love! are not always executed perfectly, the curiosity and creativity Gambino employs on his latest project are admirable.
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NME
The album is an exciting exploration of the soul and funk styles – a definited departure from Childish Gambino’s usual hip-hop direction.
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12 by 6
"Awaken, My Love!” is a colorful, eclectic, multifaceted letter to his child. Its sounds are nostalgic and groovy, captivating and peculiar.
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Vinyl Me Please
To declare Awaken, My Love! as an apex of the Gambino catalog is fitting on its own.
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Sound Sphere Magazine
‘Awaken, My Love’ is an album with strengths that lie in it’s solid groove – however, it’s certainly a highly artistic and well thought out record that locks you in from start to finish.
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The Omega
Although it does not shine consistently through the entire album, I enjoyed most of these songs and was not disappointed by Gambino’s reappearance into the music scene after two years.
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The Writer's Bloc
Awaken, My Love!” in its entirety is Gambino’s most experimental album yet and heavily influenced by 1970s soul.
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Diandra Reviews It All
Childish Gambino’s “Awaken My Love” Is His Best Yet
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Crown and Shield
Reinventing himself as an artist, Gambino creates both painful and blissful nostalgia with Awaken, My Love!.
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The Fresh Committee
With this album, it is officially time for anyone who still might be sleeping on Childish Gambino’s talent to wake up and smell the roses.
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Mixologi
Awaken My Love tries to give you an uplifting verse along with your grooves, and its messages of pro-blackness and peace are similar to early P-Funk.
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Mic
Gambino has moved well beyond parody. He is, rather fittingly, awakened.
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Okay Africa
We can bop our heads into better times.
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Melodic Distraction
This, his most mature and complete release to date, only further proves his point that artists are artists and creativity extends beyond industry.
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Parlé Magazine
No, this is nowhere near the rapping display of Camp nor the theatrics of Because the Internet, but those two are nowhere near the sonic innovation and rawness of Gambino’s newest project.
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The Advocate
Awaken, My Love!” is one of the most interesting, inventive albums of 2016.
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Buzz
It’s clear that “Awaken, My Love!” will be a polarizing album for fans and new listeners alike
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Funkatopia
You’ll get to the other side of “Awaken, My Love!” and try and wrap your head around what you just experienced, enjoy the smile you realize is on your face, and start the album over again for another listen. 5/5.
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The Needle Drop
Childish Gambino carves his own niche in the recent wave of vintage soul revivalism with Awaken, My Love!
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Drowned in Sound
What we get is an interesting departure from his usual work, but not interesting enough to create the eternal music that he is talented enough to execute. 6/10.
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MTV
DONALD GLOVER’S ‘AWAKEN, MY LOVE!’ IS A PERIOD PIECE WITH INFREQUENT ORIGINAL SOUL.
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GSG Media
This album is a must have, and is still one of my favourites from last year. It deserves every bit of praise that it got.
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Student Edge
A psychedelic, funkified record so separate to its predecessors, Because the Internet and Camp, you can barely believe it has come from Troy Barnes himself.
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Exclaim!
Gambino knocks Awaken out of the park. 9/10.
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Soul Feeder Web
Ultimately, he found a solid musical output, way better than his predecessors.
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Yahoo!
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Funkatopia
You’ll get to the other side of “Awaken, My Love!” and try and wrap your head around what you just experienced, enjoy the smile you realize is on your face, and start the album over again for another listen. 5/5.
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The Needle Drop
Childish Gambino carves his own niche in the recent wave of vintage soul revivalism with Awaken, My Love!
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Drowned in Sound
What we get is an interesting departure from his usual work, but not interesting enough to create the eternal music that he is talented enough to execute. 6/10.
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MTV
DONALD GLOVER’S ‘AWAKEN, MY LOVE!’ IS A PERIOD PIECE WITH INFREQUENT ORIGINAL SOUL.
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GSG Media
This album is a must have, and is still one of my favourites from last year. It deserves every bit of praise that it got.
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Student Edge
A psychedelic, funkified record so separate to its predecessors, Because the Internet and Camp, you can barely believe it has come from Troy Barnes himself.
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Exclaim!
Gambino knocks Awaken out of the park. 9/10.
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Soul Feeder Web
Ultimately, he found a solid musical output, way better than his predecessors.
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Yahoo!
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Funkatopia
You’ll get to the other side of “Awaken, My Love!” and try and wrap your head around what you just experienced, enjoy the smile you realize is on your face, and start the album over again for another listen. 5/5.
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The Needle Drop
Childish Gambino carves his own niche in the recent wave of vintage soul revivalism with Awaken, My Love!
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Drowned in Sound
What we get is an interesting departure from his usual work, but not interesting enough to create the eternal music that he is talented enough to execute. 6/10.
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MTV
DONALD GLOVER’S ‘AWAKEN, MY LOVE!’ IS A PERIOD PIECE WITH INFREQUENT ORIGINAL SOUL.
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GSG Media
This album is a must have, and is still one of my favourites from last year. It deserves every bit of praise that it got.
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Student Edge
A psychedelic, funkified record so separate to its predecessors, Because the Internet and Camp, you can barely believe it has come from Troy Barnes himself.
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Exclaim!
Gambino knocks Awaken out of the park. 9/10.
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Soul Feeder Web
Ultimately, he found a solid musical output, way better than his predecessors.
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Financial Times
Collection swerves away from hip-hop towards old-fashioned psychedelic funk and soul, an act of pastiche.
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Immortal Reviews
Just when you thought it may have been over for Donald Glover, he comes right back, and with flying colors. 84/100.
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Sputnik Music
Superb. 4.5/5.
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Talon
Awaken, My Love! is a terrible mistranslation. You’d do yourself better to cut the middleman and pick up a copy of There’s A Riot Goin’ On and Maggot Brain.
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The Current
Awaken, My Love! has me excited for where the next Childish Gambino project will venture.
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KUMD
It is beautiful. It is terrifying. Awaken audience, the new Gambino is here.
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CU Independent
The funk is real with this one, and it’s guaranteed to get you hoppin’.
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Daily Californian
“Awaken, My Love!” is one of Gambino’s more cohesive and enjoyable works.
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Spill Magazine
Awaken, My Love! makes it evident that Glover is a scholar in musical history. 4.5/5.
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Pretty Much Amazing
Donald Glover makes like his stage name and takes a gambit on “Awaken, My Love!”, a funky, heavy (to the point of cumbersome), and eerie collection that rebels in all directions in an unabashed display of anguish and homage.
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Mac Magazine
“Awaken, My Love!” has all the makings of an album that will be referenced, debated, assessed, loved and hated for decades to come. It is Gambino’s magnum opus.
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Northern Transmissions
“Awaken, My Love!” may not be the best album of the year, but it feels like the most important—an unashamed reminder to everyone that Black Music Matters. 8.7/10.
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The Vinyl Boys
Childish Gambino has done it again by dropping yet another amazing album. I give this a score of 9/10.
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Nordic News
Gambino is trying to find his footing in a genre completely alien to him, but it’s great watching him evolve.
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Richer Sounds
Another impressive album from a very busy man, this release ticks all the boxes for a modern and experimental release while respecting traditional genres.
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The Pathfinder
After listening through, this album became an impressive work of music and, while maybe not what I personally expected, is a truly an outstanding album. 9.3/10.
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ACRN
It’s fascinating watching Childish Gambino continue to explore and to continue making greater and more powerful works. 6.5/10.
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The Line of Best Fit
A powerful, socially aware album, but one with, slack funk basslines, licks, squeals, and knods to the greats. 8.5/10.
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The Raider Review
Awaken, My Love! is not only Childish Gambino’s best sounding album but also has the potential to influence other artists into experimenting with different sounds and adding diversity to the realm of hip-hop.
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Alex Flitton
At the end of the day, this record remains on my hypothetical list of best albums ever.
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Her Campus
Not only does his album offer significance to whom it was directed, but it also introduces us to a version of Gambino many of us wish we had been made privy to sooner as it’s been too long since soul music has graced the pop charts.
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The Highlander
“Awaken, My Love” is an ambitious step forward for Childish Gambino.
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Soul in Stereo
Rap purists can turn up their noses at this record if they want – Gambino’s just here to tell HIS story, HIS way. Viva la evolution.
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DBK News
Gambino reinvents himself as an artist and entertainer once again, and once again, it works.
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Audioxide
Childish Gambino may well be attempting to mature as an artist, but if “Awaken, My Love!” is anything to go by, his temperament is better suited to hip-hop. 6/10.
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Audioxide
“Awaken, My Love!” alternates between being enjoyable and a massive windup. 6/10.
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Audioxide
I will be returning to it in part (“Redbone” has grown to be somewhat of an earworm, and “Me and Your Mama” continues to be an enjoyable listen) but as a whole, I don’t think it’ll hang around long. 7/10.
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Modern Vinyl
Childish Gambino’s newest and most ambitious full length effort to date.
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Brig News
It is sensual, scary, raw and brilliant.
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Daily Titan
The final moments of the track feature a sustained note that is cut off before its end, and it perfectly summarizes the feeling of the album: underdeveloped and incomplete.
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The Parthenon
Give Childish Gambino the respect he deserves as he takes you on a musical voyage into places you may have never been.
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Radio UTD
Gambino’s vocal abilities have matured a lot since his last project, STN MTN/Kauai, and he has the ability to change his style in very big ways.
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Impose Magazine
This may be different from anything else he has ever done. But believe you me: It has the same soul and lyrical prowess you would expect from The Gambino.
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Standard
A trip into vintage black music.
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Lovelyti
As for a score I give this album a 10 out of 10 and I will be blasting this CD in my car for a long time. If you haven’t listened to it yet, go check it out now!
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The Interns
Awaken, My Love doesn’t necessarily hit all the right notes, but the sheer audacity to take on an experiment so bold represents maturity, talent and a deep appreciation for the source material that one cannot help but respect. 7/10.
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Badger Herald
The maturation of Donald Glover’s life is manifested perfectly in the album’s music, and it’s definitely worth a listen. 4.5/5.
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Ploughshares
Our beloved African American leaders are dead and gone. Childish Gambino’s Awaken, My Love! implores our compassion.
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Ben's Music Reviews
I expect only more critical acclaim and praise to the sensual, provocative, and imposing album that is Awaken, My Love!.
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WIUX
Donald Glover is a jack of all trades. 6/7.
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Tolita's Musings
‘Awaken…!’ is an unapologetic nostalgia-fest and a blindingly good one at that.
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NYS Music
A cultivation of everything interesting about music.
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Step Off Magazine
Awaken, My Love! is by far one of the most creative, innovative and surprising hits of the year that will almost surely be up for a variety of awards come next year.
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Sloh's Expressions
The combination of wailing guitar solos, gospel choruses, and psychedelic inspired melodies perfectly depict the album’s storyline through topics of love, race, and parenthood.
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The Lantern
CHILDISH GAMBINO’S NEWEST EXPERIMENT HAS SOME HITS, BUT MISSES OVERALL.
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Daily Dot
‘Awaken, My Love!’ is an unexpected, soaring funk opus.
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It's All Dead
Perhaps Awaken is Childish Gambino’s 808s & Heartbreak – an intimate and peculiar expression that leads the artist headlong into a masterpiece. 3.5/5.
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Positively Underground
Not only is “Awaken! My Love” a well-crafted sonic experience, but Gambino’s lyricism becomes slowly more and more poignant, ending with a self-aware tribute to his newborn son. 8/10.
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Write the World
“Awaken, My Love!” completes a transition from primarily rapping to singing, taking inspiration from 70’s funk, soul, R&B and rock.
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The Mancunion
Awaken, My Love is straight vintage funk. 7/10.
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Demon Media
Overall, Childish Gambino’s departure from his hip-hop roots is a blessing and has provided one of the best albums of the year.
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Audio Apartment
It is easy to see that Gambino is a student of music and artists of the past.
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Conant Crier
“Awaken, My Love!” has proven to be one of his most enjoyable and entertaining albums yet.
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Post Magazine
More than just a simple homage to funkier times.
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Radio Wave Monitor
Childish Gambino offers an altogether different flavor in Awaken, My Love. B plus.
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STACK
This fresh, funky direction is a welcome one.
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The Northern Light
There is no way of knowing what Gambino’s next move will be as a musician, but we will be playing “Awaken, My Love!” the entire time as we follow him.
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Love This Track
Overall, I would give this album a 9 out of 10. From the production to the message, this album is perfection from beginning to end and I’d definitely recommend it.
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FLOOD Magazine
It takes a lot of hard work to make something sound effortless, and working within the confines of dependably groovy musical forms, he nails the approach. 7/10.
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KPOET Radio
“Awaken, My Love!” was executed in a sense where he brought to the table a new perspective about the music he makes.
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O'Colly Media Group
“Awaken, My Love!” is not the album many were expecting, but once again Gambino has provided music fans with one worth listening to.
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PopMatters
On the whole, Awaken, My Love! is a pronounced departure from Glover’s Childish Gambino persona -- and a welcome one at that. 7/10.
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Medium
“Awaken, My Love!” has further proved his capabilities as a songwriter, composer, and producer. This is a record I plan on enjoying for a very long time.
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The UNF Spinnaker
This album is an enjoyable, easy listen that deserves the time and attention given to Gambino’s previous projects. 3.5/5.
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Mxdwn Music
The critics have not been fair to Glover’s prior musical works in the past, but this album is worth the praise.
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Chorus.fm
Glover continues to forge his own path towards stardom, and it doesn’t take another recap of his resume to tell that he doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.
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GIGsoup Music
For an accessible testimony to the pros, cons and ultimate rewards of love, reinvention and reverence, look no further than Gambino’s most playful record yet. 77/100.
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The Paly Voice
All in all this album is refreshing and we would highly recommend it to any reader.
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Music 4 the Masses
This is stunning and without doubt the best thing Childish Gambino has ever done. 9/10.
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Tru Omega
Awaken, My Love! is strong in execution and not to be missed.
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The Gryphon
Glover has produced a stellar album, his best yet, that bodes well for his future. I’ll start counting down the days till the next one.
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The Anchor Point
“Awaken, My Love!” is without a doubt one of 2016’s best albums and a towering achievement for Glover. 9/10.
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