Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered. 'zip+rar'

In March 2016, Kendrick Lamar surprised his fans with an unexpected release: 'untitled unmastered.', a collection of unreleased tracks that had been laying dormant in the vaults since his critically-acclaimed album '.'.

The compilation is not without its imperfections - as suggested by its title, these songs were indeed left unfinished and unaired for good reason. However, this lack of polish also adds an endearing charm to 'untitled unmastered.', making it feel like a genuine glimpse behind the scenes at one of hip-hop's most innovative artists at work.

While some may view this release as nothing more than a cynical cash-in on Lamar's loyal fanbase (after all, he did sell over 1 million copies of '.') in just three days), there is undeniably value here too. For diehard Kendrickheads who devoured every morsel from his back catalogue upon its initial release - and trust me, I am one such individual - 'untitled unmastered.' serves as a welcome treat to tide us over until he decides (if indeed he ever will) to return with new studio material.

So what can we expect from this collection of cast-offs? Well, musically speaking, the soundscapes tend towards familiar territory: soulful sample loops underpinned by Lamar's signature blend of laid-back flows and occasional bursts of venomous rage. Lyrically however, things get rather more interesting - as one might perhaps have anticipated given that these tracks were recorded during a particularly tumultuous period in American history.

From biting social commentary ('Untitled 06 08 2016') to personal confessions about relationships gone wrong ('u'), Lamar delivers his trademark blend of introspection and incendiary vitriol throughout. There are also some truly breathtakingly beautiful moments too - as on the hauntingly atmospheric closer 'untitled 04 05 23', where Kendrick's soulful vocals seem almost lost amidst a sea of swirling synths.

Overall, while it may not be his finest hour (pun intended), 'untitled unmastered.' still manages to prove that even when operating outside of his comfort zone - or indeed without any sorta proper studio time at all - Kendrick Lamar remains an artist truly unmatched in today's hip-hop landscape.

Kendrick untitled unmastered zip rar