Rapper Snoop Dogg has never been one to shy away from testing new waters with his music.
His latest album, “Bush,” released May 12, deviates from nearly every square inch of his discography, which should be expected after his stint as a reggae singer. Produced almost entirely by longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, the album revolves around up-tempo basslines, funky beats and catchy vocals. The quaint project features appearances from Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar and more.
“Bush” opens with “California Roll,” a laid-back ode to the West Coast. Although the song starts with a fast-paced, modern-sounding drop, it quickly transitions into a mellow wave of soft-spoken vocals and piano notes tied together by a snap and a harmonica. Pharrell handles the chorus while Wonder sings backup. Meanwhile, Snoop hops in to give listeners a tour of the city.
Further along in the album, the listener encounters “Awake,” a high-energy, electric-guitar-filled anthem from outer space. The chorus begins abruptly, but Snoop’s laid-back raps counteract it to form a neat contrast. The song then transitions to a digitized falsetto hook sung by Pharrell that’s reminiscent of an early Daft Punk.
In “I Knew That,” the second-to-last song on the album, Snoop sees a woman staring and imagines riding on her “wave.” Deliberately simplistic but catchy lyrics over a soulful melody detail both sides of a club encounter. Two choruses are fused together over a palm-muted guitar and roaring synths.
Due to the album’s instrumental structure, songs tend to fuse together. In what seems like no time, the 10-song album is over, and if you’re anything like me, you’re replaying it.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 5/21/15]
