Donald Glover is reportedly back as Childish Gambino, officially releasing his latest fourth full length studio album now entitled, 3.15.2020. Just as recent as last Sunday, as previously reported here on mxdwn, initially the aforementioned album was an impromptu released project that was featured on Glover’s website, then titled Donald Glover Presents.
The developing story of Glover’s official roll out, of what now reportedly indeed may be the last album under the Childish Gambino moniker, came complete last night with a digital countdown clock. The digital clock featured on the aforementioned Donald Glover Presents website was met with great anticipation, “Donald Glover is having fans waiting at the edge of their seat of what is to come. After releasing a surprise album via his website DonaldGloverPresents.com this past Sunday, it has now been replaced with a clock counting down the days until Sunday at 12 a.m. according to Billboard. Fans are speculating that the new album could hit streaming platforms come Sunday.”
Gambino’s latest album 3.15.2020 boasts a 12 track album that sits at 57 minutes and 39 seconds in length. According to Complex, “The project hit streaming services early Sunday morning, offering 12 tracks with unlisted guest appearances by Ariana Grande and 21 Savage. It marks the artist’s first studio album since 2016’s Awaken, My Love! and his first under the Wolf+Rothstein/RCA Records banner. Donald Glover previously announced plans to retire his Childish Gambino alias at some point, but reassured fans he was not abandoning music.”
The spacey ethereal tracks that are presented on 3.15.2020 are an amalgamation of different sounds that are both eclectic and pleasant sounding. The tracks continue the spirit and are reminiscent to the tracks featured on his last third studio album, Awaken, My Love! As previously reported on Variety, it’s still unclear if 3.15.2020 “is the long-percolating final” Childish Gambino album that the actor-singer apparently has had in the works for several years, it does include three songs that appeared under Gambino auspices: the 2018 single ‘Feels Like Summer’ (performed on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and on tour), ‘Warlords’ (also performed live) and ‘Algorythm’ (also performed on tour, and used in a Google Pixel commercial). Based on initial listens, it certainly seems that it could be: The songs continue with the feel of the music he released in 2018 — which also include “Summertime Magic” — combining traditional R&B with hip-hop, Caribbean and more aggressive sounds.”
It’s pertinent to mention that back in 2018, here at mxdwn, Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” ranked number 1 in our Top 50 best songs off 2018. The music video for “This Is America” came complete with vivid imagery that was riveting and in your face. As previously reported, “It’s not the most complicated song, it’s not the most technically-dazzling, but it’s the most relevant song of 2018 and the song people will remember most in the future when they think of this year.”