Hot off the presses and just in time for your next summer get-together, Childish Gambino (alter ego of Donald Glover if you somehow are unaware) gives us two new feel-good songs (“Summertime Magic” and “Feels Like Summer”) to help you take the edge off. Following the explosive “This Is America,” it’s a radical departure back into the world of easy breezes, sunsets in the city, and dance-floor connections.
The music is highly polished, with steel drums, a definite vibe of beach parties, sunshine, etc. It’s a crazy turnaround from his more dramatic work recently, but it showcases his ability to kick out some excellent and relaxed pop music. As just one portion of Glover’s multiple entertainment successes, it’s baffling how he can move between his different projects and maintain such a high quality of work. At first glance, these might seem like just two happy-go-lucky summer jams. While that might be the case for “Summertime Magic,” the lyrics of “Feels Like Summer” belie a deeper message.
While it may have the feel of a nightclub party track, “Feels Like Summer” addresses several major issues plaguing humanity: overpopulation, climate change, environmental struggles, our increasing reliance on technology, the future of our youth, and the current state of the world in general. Lines like “Seven billion souls that move around the sun, rolling faster, faster and not a chance to slow down,” and “Men who made machines that want what they decide, they’re just tryna tell the children please slow down” are just in the first verse.
As the song continues, Glover hits an especially poignant note about how many people are feeling today regarding current events: “Oh, I know you know that pain. I’m hopin’ that this world will change, but it just seems the same (it is not the same).” The world is going through some massive upheaval all over the place, and it can be frightening. Glover doesn’t ease up, either, following these lines up with: “Every day gets hotter than the one before. Running out of water, it’s about to go down, go down. Air that kill the bees that we depend upon. Birds were made for singing. Waking up to no sound. No sound.” Chilling and foreboding, the ending leaves a sour taste, with the words “I’m hoping that this world will change, but it just seems the same. I know. Oh, I hope we change.”
With Childish Gambino, there is always more than meets the eye. This is especially true with these two newest songs; when you first take a peek it’s just bubbly, slick radio pop for the college crowd. But take a second look, and there is a message with a deep sense of urgency, despair, resignation, and doubt. He’s not asking you to not dance. He just wants you to remember what’s going on around you, and maybe see what you can do about it.
Stream both tracks here.
Rating for both tracks: 9 out of 10
