Rihanna fans had to wait for their longest time in between studio albums before they could hear her eighth studio album Anti. While working on a new studio album, Rihanna released “FourFiveSeconds,” ,“B***h Better Have My Money,” and “American Oxygen”. The three singles had favorable reviews and sales but are oddly left out of her new album. The album is decidedly a shift from the signature club sounds she is known for, and has more of an R&B vibe and dancehall flair. The theme of the album is centered on being true to yourself, expressing your own individuality, and not conforming.
Soon after its release, Anti was plagued with stories of low album sales. This is allegedly because Rihanna made deals with Samsung and Tidal Records that gave clients of both companies free access and downloads to Anti. This amounted to millions of albums being downloaded and streamed, but not making it via Nielsen and Billboard did not recognize these downloads as actual album sales. After the free download and streaming window period ended, the album shot to the top of the charts.
The album’s cover art is black and white with a splash of red and shows a picture of Rihanna on her first day of daycare as a child. In the picture, Rihanna is holding a black balloon, and has a golden crown covering her face. The artwork was designed by the Israeli artist Roy Natchum. The artwork also features a poem written in braille.
The first single “Work,” featuring Drake is already doing well on the charts. The song’s simple dance hall beat is laced by the sensual partnership of Drake and Rihanna that fans have always enjoyed.“Higher” has Rihanna singing in her raw rustic voice, singing apologetically to a disappointed lover, and you’ll wish it went on for longer. The Timbaland-produced track, “Yeah, I Said It,” is a classic sexually charged track that will be an instant favorite. A song that’s begging to be her next hit is “Kiss It Better.” The electric guitar accompanies Rihanna’s tech-laced voice as she asks an ex what he would do to get her back. The 1950’s inspired song “Love on the Brain,” has Rihanna singing about addictive love. The song comes complete with an organ and backing vocals reminiscent of the era. The psychedelic “Same Ol Mistakes,” has a haunting sound that fit swell with the subject matter of finding new love in an imperfect modern world. The song is a cover of the 2015 song “New Person, Same Old Mistakes, ” by Tame Impala. Notable producers on the album are Hitboy, DJ Mustard,Timbaland, and Travis Scott.
Anti is a solid listen and will be a sought after album throughout the year. The album only has two featured artists, Drake and SZA. Yet, Rihanna confidently and skilfully presents her listeners with a virtual tapestry of inviting contemporary sounds.
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