Jhené Aiko ft. Kendrick Lamar – So Good

Something ’bout those keyboards…

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[7.00]David Allun Jones: Despite a general appreciation for the diaristic poet slant of Jhené Aiko’s pen, aside from a few select cuts, the singer’s brand of Quiet Storm R&B has always leaned a little too melatonin for my tastes. Finding out that her new album was titled Westside Whimsy and featured an appearance from Kendrick did intrigue me though, leading to thoughts of Aiko attaching her featherweight coos to some hyphy or G-funk trunk rattlers. Unfortunately “So Good” is business-as-usual for the songbird, with Kendrick in sing-songy romantic mode and the two yawningly marinating in endless sensual devotion to each other. A decent wedding night bedroom jam (those trickling keyboards feel lifted from the best Janet ballads), but it comes nowhere close to either the Westside or Whimsy I fantasized. More like “So-So Good”.
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Al Varela: Those aquatic, ’80s-shimmering keys are so unfair. Pair those gorgeous chimes with Jhené Aiko and Kendrick Lamar going back on forth over a magnetic love and you get one of the prettiest, sweetest songs of the year. Jhené is a much more elegant singer than Kendrick, but Kendrick’s soft timbre scratches a particular itch that seems to work wonderfully with his R&B colleagues. Of the past several Kendrick R&B jams, including “Luther,” this is my favorite of his by far. But a lot of that has to do with Jhené, whose voice is so elastic and beautiful that she really brings the romanticism and attraction to the forefront.
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Charlotte Gaze: What Kendrick Lamar lacks in grace as an R&B singer, he makes up for in sincerity. This quality worked to his advantage on the twin duets “Luther” and “30 for 30”, though both were still too leaden for my taste. Jhené Aiko is a more buoyant vocalist than SZA, and I find her to be a better fit. While it doesn’t transcend the bounds of an ordinary radio record, “So Good” glides as softly as a cloud.
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Nortey Dowuona: Jahaan Sweet, M-Tech, living legend Scott Bridgeway and 8th Wonder of the World WavyBird are the perfect four for strength and efficiency, laying a smooth post 1986 synth chord progression over silky kick and snare patter. It allows both Aiko and Lamar to — instead of fighting for primacy — harmonize in syncretic cool, easy on the ear and warm in the heart.
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Alfred Soto: Kendrick Lamar in powder-soft singer mode has unexpected poignance, and he matches well with the perpetually powder-soft Aiko. Choice words: “You look so good/Sinful, but godly.”
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Callie Petch: I know that calling something “stupid” nowadays is just as much a compliment — as in “stupid hot” — as it is an insult, but it’s never not gonna throw me off when used in the context of a serious, sexy, sincere ode to devotion like “So Good.” “You look so good, sinful but godly” and “a centrefold, a dime piece” absolutely fit the mood with those deep mid-’90s Yamaha synth chords and mechanised finger snaps. “Face, stupid, body stupid, hottie, stupid” is just one step above Steve Smith trying to form words after seeing Akiko dressed as Chun-Li for the first time. It says a lot about Kendrick & Jhené’s way with melodies and ability to tap into the classic delivery of this sub-genre that “So Good” still works even with that section being not just the first thing you hear on the song but its pre-chorus which comes back again later. Both artists slide over this beat like it’s a roller-rink made of honey, harmonising in all the right points, bringing the energy without breaking the bedroom fuckjam vibe. Cut the “stupid” section and you could send this song back through time to the post-janet era of R&B and it’d fit right in.
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Julian Axelrod: I’ve never been as fond of Kendrick’s R&B features (which make flirting sound like fighting) as his rap features (which make fighting sound like flirting) and moments like “Otayyy” see him indulging his worst instincts. But his overexertion is contrasted with the warmth and ease of Jhené Aiko, who’s quietly evolved from a vibes-first wallflower into a commanding and charming chanteuse. Not only does she go toe to toe with Kendrick, she forces him to ease up and match her energy.
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