For years, Childish Gambinos Atavista hid in plain sight. When he released an unfinished version of the record on March 15, 2020, it spent just 12 hours on his website before he pulled it down. Reappearing on streaming a week later as 3.15.20, the project brought up almost as many questions as sparkling neo-soul anthems, which still sounded slicker than the average as raw cuts titled after timestamps.

Atavista is an ode to impermanence, never more directly than over the glimmering guitar of Time with Grande. (One things for certain, baby/Were running out of time, they harmonize on the chorus.) But in Gambinos capable hands, Atavista also slows down to enjoy the view, the sonic equivalent of a luxe leather-interior BMW cruising an open California highway. I did what I wanted to, he revels on closing track Final Church. Atavista took many shapes over the years to reach a final form. In each warm refrain, tight sequence, and carefully chosen collaborator, Gambino demonstrates why some things are worth waiting for.