Album Review: Rihanna's 8th Studio Release "Anti" Provides Refreshing Sound for Fans

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Anti album art (Roc Nation).

Rihanna dropped her new album Anti Wednesday evening after a prolonged silence from the music industry since her last album, Unapologetic, was released in 2012. Four years later, Rihanna puts on a strong returning front with her bad-ass feminine persona. Her single off of the album, “Work,” includes rap star Drake. The single has blown up on the charts due to fans’ long awaited anticipation of the album. Anti was originally supposed to be released last November, but the date was evidently pushed into the new year with an undecided exact release date. However, fans should be as satisfied as Adele’s fans were over her final release of 25. Her new music brings the same hardcore taste of the Rihanna we love with some new styles that create a twist to the updated Rihanna 2016. 

One can hear the reggae beat that resonates with her personal identity. “Consideration” includes a lot of dropped beats that create a reggae-esque tone complimentary to day dreamy vibe. It includes a very different sound than “Work” with Drake or “Desperado,” a potential hit to look out for on the album. While “Consideration” seems light and fun, “Desperado” includes a more intense sound that fans are used to hearing and loving from albums such as Rated R. The background sounds are interestingly eerie; her lyrics are enticing; it is everything that fans love about her. In addition, we get the sassy, sexual side of Rihanna in “Yeah, I Said It.” It’s more of a quiet, mellow beat that contrasts the strength of the words in her lyrics. All sides of her artistic identity appear in Anti; however, the new beats are what pushes this album into the 2016 music industry. It stays true to the artist that her fans have grown with through the twenty-first century while still giving something new to an industry forever in need of new creative ability. The Anti era is here. 

Listen to Anti on Tidal.

Rihanna embarks on her “Anti World Tour” featuring Travis Scott, Big Sean and more this February. Get your tickets here.