Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak released their highly anticipated album in November 2021. The album is representative of their ‘70s Funk and Soul influence which is effortlessly echoed throughout the piece as well as their live performances. In this review, I will be discussing the unexpected collaboration between both . Paak and Mars as well as the success of their project.
Silk Sonic, an album review
‘Silk Sonic,’ with members Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak burst onto the scene with a surprise collaboration we did not realize we needed! Both of the artists already have established careers within the music industry, from Bruno Mars’ smash hit “Just The Way you Are” and Anderson . Paak’s “Come Down,”, the magical duo set out to release a collaborative album accompanied by glossy, retro music videos with both dressed head to toe in silk shirts and flared trousers.
The first single, “Leave The Door Open,”, was released on March 5th 2021. The song was an instant hit, leaving music lovers asking for more. It was accompanied by an introduction by Soul and Funk powerhouse, Bootsy Collins, who has previously been featured on Kali Uchis’ “After the Storm” featuring Tyler, The Creator. The song itself has Mars and .Paak, who both produce and write parts of the songs.
They blended their voices to create a catchy soul song that has held the attention of musical audiences across the globe. “Leave The Door Open,” evokes a passionate love interest for whom both artists ‘Leave the door open’ so that the lover can enter. In the second verse, Paak describes a romantic evening with someone special: “I’m talkin’ kissin’, cuddling, Rosepetals in the tub, Girl, let’s jump in.” Paak describes a romantic, intimate evening with his girlfriend, with mentions of cuddling and caressing.
Drums and piano notes contribute to that ‘soul’ feel of the song, and it bears similarity to legends such as The Commodores and The Isley Brothers, whose music accompanied both romantic and emotional lyrics.
The rest of the songs follow suit, with the second single “Skate,” which was released in July 2021, shot into the top 20 in the US charts in no time. This song was greeted with much acclaim due to its upbeat, groovy rhythm that bounced off the lyrics.
The song follows both .Paak and Mars show appreciation for their love interests, who in the music video, are walking past the band while the band continues to play their instruments enthusiastically to the rhythm of the song. This gives the music video a summer-like and adds to its feel-good vibe; transporting the listeners to a tropical island or a holiday.
After the release of this single, Silk Sonic blessed their growing fanbase with a date for the official album release later in the year; The album was what the people wanted – a dynamic duo fusing their love for the 70s soul scene and seamlessly applying their modern studio take on soul and funk.
The only criticism they received was the length of the album, which came up to 31 minutes. Perhaps after the anticipation both Mars and .Paak wanted to leave their audience wanting for more by doing live performances and dropping a deluxe version with some features and additional tracks.
Silk Sonic is an ode to showing appreciation for the ‘70s and celebrates the influence soul music, in particular, has on the current music industry. The nine-track album encapsulates the essence of the soul era which creates a sexy, smooth listen for music lovers as well as those who are looking for something with a modern, fresh take.
Silk Sonic has been widely acclaimed and has been nominated for various music awards. It also has commercial replayability on radio across the world. It can be agreed that their flair, originality, and style have taken the music charts by storm allowing them to establish themselves as a collective, and we can only hope that they continue to bless our ears with their music.
