Erykah Badu follows through on the promise of her 2008 album New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War with the release of Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh. It may be billed as a musical sequel, but Pt. 2 is a refreshing step back from its politically inclined predecessor. Return of the Ankh is a more personal, introspective work that puts the soul and emotion back into Badu’s songs. The music is as seductive and laid back as only the best soul and R&B, distinguished by Badu’s unique voice.
Return of the Ankh stylistically travels back in time, with a heavy emphasis on drum machine loops and synthesized keyboards and strings marking the first half of the album. The ponderous opener “20 Feet Tall” draws the listener in with hypnotizing and minimalist musical arrangements, allowing Badu to express her full vocal range through soaring melodies. As the album progresses, however, the layers of samples are gradually stripped away to reveal organic instrumentation. The music gets jazzier and the vocals more relaxed as the LP develops a groove characteristic of past trends in its genre. This culminates in the gorgeous closer “Out of Mind, Just in Time,” reminiscent of dark, smoke-filled clubs with its moody piano and solo strings.
This pattern notwithstanding, Return of the Ankh’s greatest flaw is its apparent lack of cohesiveness. The lyrical unity and clarity of its predecessor is absent, and the tracks don’t flow into one another quite as smoothly as one might expect. Still, the strength of the tracks themselves makes it clear that New Amerykah, Pt. 2 is an accomplished effort from an artist fully aware of being at the top of her game.
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