A quick, lighthearted and bouncy collage of neighborly tracks
A strong sense of deja vu feels present in Donald Glover’s (aka Childish Gambino) latest EP Swarm. Maybe this feeling was intended, similar to the creeping familiarity one may get while being stalked. In fact, whether purposefully or not, Childish Gambino nailed this ironically uncanny emotion. Swarm features music inspired by the 2023 TV show of the same name- a psychological thriller co-created by Glover. Like most EPs, Swarm is energetic and straight to the point. Different genres and influences are meshed together quickly yet effortlessly. Stylistic choices on this project show that Childish Gambino did not wish to be on the foreground of this release, as he is only featured on one track; the rest feature Memphis-based singer KIRBY and the show’s fictional “rapper”, Ni’jah.
Right off the bat, this project is electric. “Something Like That” has a classy, grand, almost Great Gatsby-esque sound to it. The vocalists on this track seem to be beckoning the listener, giving them a showy welcome to the EP. This track has more or less of a synth-pop feel, but the catchiness and glossiness of the instruments and vocals make it seem like someone is opening the doors to a large ballroom party. Next, the speakers turn up for “Agatha,” a solo Ni’jah track, which is heavily rap-based. This piece contains certain stylistic vocal inflections, similar to hip hop duo EARTHGANG or Gambino himself.
Interestingly enough, even more genres are explored in the midst of Swarm. “Big World” has a house-like dance groove to it, but the track is laid back and chill regardless. “Big World” features some interesting emotive vocals and lyrics that perfectly coerce a driving groove out of the disco inspired bass. “Adventure,” “Hahaha,” and “Sticky” are all more experimental than the next, showing that the creativity on this project only increases throughout the EP’s runtime.
“Sticky” is the last track on Swarm, the only track featuring Childish Gambino. It almost feels right this way, with a majority of the project progressing into the future of his legacy, and then one track featuring him in his current existence. From a personal standpoint, it seems like Childish Gambino is acting as an influential force of his own on Swarm, allowing the featured artists to channel their work in a distinct manner. Overall, Swarm is too quick to get bored of and long enough to feature tributes of multiple genres and clever enough to leave the listener wanting more.
Leave a Comment