Music Review: Jhene Aiko – Sail Out

Jhene Aiko has been by the sea for quite a while now. Sailing Souls, her premiere mixtape, made some noise for those seeking some good R&B in their lives. From there, it seemed as if nothing could disrupt her flow as she navigated herself into features with Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, and Drake. Now, the tide has turned. Sailed Out, her premier EP with Def Jam Recordings, is showcasing just where she plans on planting her anchor in the treacherous musical waters.

The album rides the tides out within its moody zone from the start. “Vapors” gets into the infatuation with a lover. Right after that comes the ethereal and cuddle-inciting jam “Bed Peace” with features Childish Gambino with a calm flow. “Stay Ready [What A Life]” has Jhene going into the ebb and flow of relationships, going from pure sexual gratification to the hardships of relationships. From the first three songs, the EP knows how to ride the tides and give an introspective look at it all.

After that, however, the water currents are enhanced by the influence of altered states and reality crashes. “WTF” gets into the confusion and reconfirmation of feelings once one has “gotten way too high” to tell reality from facsimile. “The Worst” deals with a lover that makes all the wrong decisions and hurts her in the process. “3:16 a.m.” is a song that deals with Jhene in her darkest hour, with no “papers” to smoke with and no “fear of flying” either. Consequently, “Comfort Inn Freestyle” rounds out the EP that washed many bare feelings up on the shore.

With concepts of love, broken-hearts, infidelity, death, and suicidal thoughts, Sail Out delves into the possibilities of life and love. As short as the span is, it really didn’t need to be any longer than it is. The emotion and range is actually concentrated. Any more of it would cause contamination. Albeit somber and at times monotonous, Sail Out is highly consistent and realistic. My suggestion: just ride the tidal waves and sail on out.