21. Anderson .Paak - “The Bird”

Anderson .Paak had one of the greatest albums of 2016. It was one of those rare masterpieces that only seems to come along every few years or so. It was melodic, witty, driven, fun, meaningful, and most of all compelling. It made you both think and move – a hallmark of any brilliant album, meaning it didn’t sacrifice fun for force or force for fun.

This is the opening track of the album and as such it sets the stage for what’s to come. The slow build functions as a sort of prologue or introduction into the setting and the characters that will soon emerge. You gain an image of what awaits and can’t help but feel entranced to discover more. It’s like the classic image of a cartoon character powerlessly following after the anthropomorphic scent of some delicious item of food. The gentle dance of the keystrokes, the subtle background vocals, and the impeccable and melodic flow of .Paak leave you no choice. You’re helplessly (but not haplessly) hooked. All you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.