pax hyde

Kendrick and Kanye

Kendrick Lamar has made a habit of ignoring expectations, this time by releasing a new album only weeks after the coronation of his 2015 knockout “To Pimp A Butterfly” (TPAB) at the 2016 Grammy Awards. “untitled unmastered” is an untailored compilation of extras written during the production of “TPAB.” Ambiguous titling and a cover resembling a swatch of drab green carpet give listeners the impression that the music is played in a void, a departure from Lamar’s characteristic storytelling format. On individual track-level, however, it is clear he has not abandoned his perfectionism. Though “untitled” is nothing markedly new from Lamar, who can fault that?