Anderson .Paak's appearances on Dr Dre's Compton alerted many to his talents, though his 2014 Venice album was the real ear-opener. On that release, the Californian rapper roamed over warm, seductive electro, hip-hop and r'n'b grooves.

Similar breezy, laid-back qualities are to the fore on Malibu, but Paak's lyrical and musical suss has gone up several notches on a record informed by his family, his surroundings and his community. Swinging from soul to hip-hop to funk and back again, Paak shows flashes of the same bravado you've heard in the past from D'Angelo and Kendrick Lamar.

The Season/Carry Me, The Bird, Parking Lot and Heart Don't Stand s Chance resonate with spirit, honesty and emotion. The record is bright, striking and compelling, as old-school sounds and notions are beautifully embedded in a new, experimental hinterland. andersonpaak.com