is 's first self-produced album for his own label, , and it definitely benefits from being released by a boutique. Aside from the features, which come from friends rather than fortune-makers, finds back to doing what he did when he first began recording: simply curating excellent productions instead of wooing a new audience by creating expressly written songs or telling a story with his full-lengths. A couple of the instrumentals here are entirely constructed from samples (starting with the opener ), and they create a fractured sense of swing -- especially since they sit so well next to slightly more "played" productions. 's guests are singers more than rappers (with just a few exceptions), so the R&B vibe behind (featuring ) and the infectious, horn-led ) is palpable. Whether needed a reset or not after leaving his previous label, shows him relaxed and happy being his own boss. ~ John Bush