The Boundless Colored Canopy: Childish Gambino’s “3.15.20”

Hope all is well for everyone shut inside during this quarantine. For those music lovers among us, take a break from Netflix and Chill to check out Donald Glover a.ka. Childish Gambino’s new album entitled 3.15.20.

Childish posted the album (featuring musical appearances from Ariana Grande, 21 Savage and SZA) last Sunday on DonaldGloverPresents.com. Fans could only stream it from the site that day, but today it was made available for purchase across the usual platforms.

3.15.20 is an incredible album that is hard to describe without using poetic language.

The echoing intro “0.00” is an auto-tuned blast off into the void. “12.38” is a bedtime story and slow-ride wrapped into a smooth bop. The refraining “To be beautiful is to be…hunted” in “19.10” bounces your body and vibrates your soul (may be importing, but I think there’s a metaphor about exploiting blackness in there as well). You’ll think of your “sweet thang” listening to “24.19.” The ravy “32.22” is a much needed loss of control. “35.31” makes you feel like you’re on a hay-ride, but “39.28” asks for critical self-reflection. “42.26” is Gambino’s “Feel Like Summer” (highlighted beautifully in his film Guava Island, co-starring Rihanna). “47.48” is groovy walk towards the light at the end of tunnel.