Venice

He first punctured the public consciousness amid the blockbuster cast -list- of Dr. Dre’s Compton, but on his auteurist debut Brandon Paak Anderson proves himself more than a mere sideman. Released nearly a year prior to Compton, this energetic record's power lies in its off-kilter energy and blurred genre lines. “Milk N’ Honey” swirls neo-soul harmonies with raw street vignettes, “I Miss That Whip” adds languid beachside guitar and “Paint” offers bustling, hazy electronics. It’s “The City”, however, floating aboard a hypnotic, shifting groove, that best captures .Paak’s funk-infused versatility and effortless, unpredictable magnetism.