by Pink Siifu

Released August 3, 2021 via Left-Field
Reviewed August 17, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Roscoe’! (40%), Scurrrrd (35%), Wayans Bros. (30%)
Southern flavors come together in a complex and flavorful way for Pink Siifu on GUMBO'!, the first outright album release of 2021 from the Virginia-bred visionary. Anyone familiar with Pink Siifu's career to this point understands that variety is the common thread uniting his angular ventures as a musician. Several shades of hip-hop exist in the rapper's repertoire—alongside his brushes with jazz, pop, dance, sound collage, and power electronics—which leaves him on a very short list of rappers with outstanding musical range. GUMBO'! features a quirky blend of trap, jazz, and southern psychedelic sounds. The bill of well over thirty collaborators for the album exhibits the universe of underground talent that surrounds Pink Siifu. Like a great, big pot of the album's namesake, GUMBO'! is hearty, balanced, and robust to the very last drop. – DeVán (8/10)
Pink Siifu’s latest project is another example of why he is one of the most eclectic figures in the game. From soul vocals and jazz instrumentals to experimental electronics and sound collage, Siifu sits comfortably in just about everything he puts his head to. He has a great sense of character on the mic, even maintaining that unique sound while rapping about deep subject matter, making him stand out amongst the very talented group he associates with. GUMBO’! Is a great place to start for those just learning about Pink Siifu. It is a lovely snapshot of the personality and musical style that represents who he is as an artist. – Jared (8/10)
Alabama's Pink Siifu returns for the third time in two years to provide a fluid project with a twist of drugged-out flare. In essence, the spirit of a bad trip resides in the DNA of GUMBO'! The uneasy journey through Willy Wonka's tunnel of terror awaits the listener, as Siifu and his accomplices create an abnormal, yet ever-listenable, near-psychedelic experience. 2020's NEGRO painted pictures of riotous rebellion amidst chaotic soundscapes, and while there's moments of that on GUMBO’!, it generally sticks to warped––slightly out of shape––abstraction. It is an album that flips on a dime. Here one moment and gone the next, Pink Siifu sets out to comfort the uncomfortable and rattle the mind's cage while simultaneously soothing the mind's eye. – Peter (7/10)
Alan: 8.3/10 | Cam: 8.3/10 | Pax: 8.3/10 | DeVán: 8/10
Jared: 8/10 | Dominick: 7.5/10 | Peter: 7/10
Comments