Childish Gambino – “Summertime Magic” & “Feels Like Summer”
Donald Glover has shared a pair of new summer-themed Childish Gambino tracks. Dubbed the Summer Pack, they amount to a two-song EP. “Summertime Magic” is a dancehall-flavored synth-R&B track that feels as appropriately sweltering as the subject matter demands. “Feels Like Summer” conjures a similar vibe but leans closer to druggy rock music, its guitar strums and psychedelic vocal harmonies undergirded by booming bass.
Neither song arrives with the benefit of a conversation-hijacking music video, so don’t expect them to debut at #1 like “This Is America” did. But it will be interesting to see whether that song’s massive success and the high profile Glover has been enjoying throughout 2018 will help propel these tracks to the summer-jam status they’re obviously seeking.
Both tracks will appear on Gambino’s upcoming album on Wolf+Rothstein/RCA. Still no word on a studio version of “Saturday,” the other song Glover debuted on Saturday Night Live alongside “This Is America.” In the meantime, soak up the Summer Pack and see if these songs remind you of anything.
By the way, this seems like as good a place as any to say I really liked Solo and despite its flaws I’m glad they made it.