Back in 2016, the rappng/singing/drumming polymath Anderson .Paak joined forces with the inventively hazy producer Knxwledge to release the album Yes Lawd! The LP, released under the duo name NxWorries, was a fascinating work of funky, broken, psychedelic R&B. In the years since, Anderson .Paak has become a big enough star to headline arenas, and Knxwledge has continued to put in work on the underground, cranking out a steady supply of beat tapes on Bandcamp. But on one new track from the new Knxwledge LP, NxWorries reunite.
Today, Knxwledge releases his breezy, woozy new album 1988 -- a proper LP this time, not a beat tape. Knxwledge is a clear J Dilla student, and you can hear that in way 1988 sputters and twists, cramming 22 tracks in to 37 minutes. 1988 is not an instrumental album; it's more of a '90s R&B record reflected through a prism. But most of the tracks don't give feature credit to their vocalists, and only one features an honest-to-god guest star. That guest star is Anderson .Paak.
On the track "Itkanbe[Sonice]," Knxwledge and .Paak once again find their old chemistry, with .Paak casually flexing, his voice drifting effortlessly over Knxwledge's gooey groove. It's a short song, and it feels like it could go on a whole lot longer. Listen below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rdxF2eMqicM
While you're at it, go ahead and stream all of 1988 below.
1988 is out now on Stones Throw.
