Album Review: 'TWENTY88' is the Perfect Balance of Big Sean and Jhene Aiko
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From start to finish, TWENTY88, the collaborative name of Big Sean and Jhene Aiko's supergroup is just the right balance of their respective strengths. We had pretty high expectations for the TWENTY88 album and it really does exceed them all.
R&B had TGT and hip-hop had albums like Watch The Throne, What A Time To Be Alive and most recently Collegrove. Now, Aiko and Sean are adding a new balance to the collaborative space. The TWENTY88 album opens up with a smooth track titled, "Deja Vu," which finds both Aiko and Sean equally venting lyrics that represents their respective gender.
That's a pattern that continues throughout the entire album and it's easy to see that they brought out the best in each other.
This also allows for both ends of the spectrum to be recognized in a state of equilibrium that is truly refreshing and changes the dynamic of the collaborative albums we've seen thus far.
"Selfish" continues the smooth vibe with it's jazzy undertone and Sean and Aiko's accusatory lyrics about stressing each other out. In "On The Way" the sexual nature of the album is ramped up. It's all about having a hard day and finally getting a chance to go see that special someone for some extracurricular activities.
The beat is very well done and at this point it's worth mentioning that Big Sean really doesn't hold back lyrically. He treats the collaborative project just as he would treat his on solo effort, there was clearly no half-assing this one.
"Push It" seems to be the result of "On My Way" and it's very sensual and silky with the deep drum-kicks added a little heaviness to the track.
One of the standout tracks on the album is "2 Minute Warning" with TWENTY88's only feature, the legendary R&B duo K-C and Jojo, as well as Detail. The song moves from deep R&B roots to a rapid-fire verse from Sean where he completely bodies the track.
The vocals from K-C and Jojo are perfectly combined with Aiko's vocals that take a slight backseat.
"Talk Show" is an interesting track considering TWENTY88 made their television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
It's a powerful back and forth conversation in song that really highlights what can go wrong when the public is let in on your relationship.
"Memories Faded" and "London Bridge" close out what is a short but very high quality album.
Both Aiko and Sean are at their very best and the result is an excellent body of work for their fans to enjoy. Hopefully You can stream TWENTY88 via Tidal.