Sail Out
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.
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.
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.