Sail Out

EPNov 12 / 20137 songs, 30m 26s
Alternative R&B Contemporary R&B
Noteable

Preceded by appearances on Big Sean\'s \"Beware\" as well as Drake\'s \"From Time,\" *Sail Out* announces Jhene Aiko as a singer/rapper who\'s more than the sum of her guest spots, a vocalist who balances wit, sensuality, and vulnerability with the aplomb of forebears like Ciara and Aaliyah. She\'s joined by Childish Gambino on \"Bed Peace,\" a nod to John and Yoko\'s 1969 Bed-Ins for Peace antiwar protest. On \"Stay Ready (What a Life)\" and \"WTH,\" featuring TDE cohorts Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul, respectively, she wades through a haze of murky cloud-rap akin to sonic soulmate Drake\'s. With its piano sample and neon chorus, \"The Worst\" approaches pop accessibility, but its gloomy atmospherics point to a talent intent on achieving success on her own terms.

6.1 / 10

The recent adoration of artist like Ciara and Cassie may have provided a perfect incubator for a singer like Jhené Aiko, the feather-voiced Def Jam signee. However, it's hard to decipher whether the songs  on her new Sail Out EP are more appealing than the mere atmosphere they create.

Check out our album review of Artist's Sail Out on Rolling Stone.com.

Having already made a big impression in 2013 with appearances on singles from Big Sean ("Beware") and Drake ("From Time"), breathy R&B vocalist Jhené Aiko fleshes out her character on Sail Out, a relaxed debut EP that suggests that this girl is on permanent vacation.

5 / 10