Childish Gambino’s Almanac Leaks is a sprawling, 31-track statement of intent. Released in 2023, it is a mix of originals, demos, live recordings, and remixed versions of songs that had already appeared elsewhere. It is also a record that tries to do too much at once.
The album’s ambition is clear from the start. It wants to be a complete artistic statement, a document of where Gambino’s music sits after years of genre-hopping. But the sheer volume of tracks, combined with the uneven quality of some of the material, means the record rarely finds a clear focus.
Opening Tracks Set the Tone
The album opens with “Warlords,” a track that sets a grim, reflective tone before the record descends into its more fragmented sections. “Feels Like Summer (Version 3)” and “Atavista (Versions 1 and 2)” follow, both offering brief glimpses of a more melodic side to Gambino’s sound, even if they feel like sketches rather than finished pieces.
“Human Sacrifice (Versions 2 and 3)” and “Ay-Ya” continue the pattern of unfinished ideas. “Song 8” and “Jungle Love” are slight, almost throwaway tracks that pass by without leaving much of an impression.
The Middle Stretch Stumbles
“Human Dilemma” and “Die With You” show flashes of the darker, more political Gambino that listeners know from his earlier work. They are the strongest moments in the middle stretch of the album, but even they are hampered by a lack of cohesion.
“Algorythm (Versions 2 and 3)” is another case of multiple takes on the same song, and the live recording “Shock (Live) [04/19/19 Coachella]” feels like a bonus rather than a centerpiece. “Good Music” is a brief, unremarkable interlude.
The Demos and Live Tracks
“Capitalism (This is America, Version 4)” is the standout moment of the second half of the record. It is a bold, politically charged track that shows Gambino at his most confrontational, even if the version here is a demo rather than a polished studio take.
“Gorilla,” “My Heart (Version 2),” “Valentine (Version 3),” and “Infinity (Demo)” form a patchwork of half-finished ideas. “Steeldrum Song (Version 2)” and “Just a Party” are pleasant enough, but they drift without landing anywhere.
“Nightlife” and “Newton Goes to Africa” are minor tracks that add texture without much substance. The demos “All Night (Demo)” and “Last (Demo)” and the closing “Love Bug (Demo)” round out the album with a final wave of unfinished material.
What Works, What Doesn’t
- “Human Dilemma” and “Die With You” are the strongest original tracks on the record.
- “Capitalism (This is America, Version 4)” is the boldest moment, even in demo form.
- The live “Shock (Live) [04/19/19 Coachella]” adds a welcome energy to the tracklist.
- The multiple versions of “Algorythm” and “Human Sacrifice” dilute the impact of those songs rather than building on them.
A Record That Misses Its Mark
Almanac Leaks is a messy, sprawling record that never quite coheres. It is full of ideas, but it is short on discipline. The demos and multiple versions of songs suggest a process rather than a finished product, and the listener is left wondering what the point of the whole thing is.
Gambino’s best work has always been about confrontation and contradiction, but here the contradictions are left unresolved. The album is a curiosity, a footnote to a career that has produced far stronger records.
It is a record that deserves attention for its ambition, but it is a record that fails to deliver on that ambition.
- Warlords
- Feels Like Summer (Version 3)
- Atavista (Version 1)
- Atavista (Version 2)
- Human Sacrifice (Version 2)
- Human Sacrifice (Version 3)
- Ay-Ya
- Song 8
- Jungle Love
- Human Dilemma
- Die With You
- Algorythm (Version 2)
- Algorythm (Version 3)
- Saturday
- All Night (Demo)
- Cruisin Thru Africa
- Going Back to L.A.
- End of Days (Version 2)
- Shock (Live) [04/19/19 Coachella]
- Good Music
- Capitalism (This is America, Version 4)
- Gorilla
- My Heart (Version 2)
- Valentine (Version 3)
- Infinity (Demo)
- Steeldrum Song (Version 2)
- Just a Party
- Nightlife
- Newton Goes to Africa
- Last (Demo)
- Love Bug (Demo)
