Lamar doesn’t exclude himself from judgment, but instead underlines the mercilessness of Christian righteousness.
Vividly, cinematically drawn, its descriptions of towers crumbling, oceans drying and rapists fleeing – as well as its promise of an end to war, discrimination and superficiality – capture terror and justice in equal measure. Lamar’s approach to religion has always been a conflicted mix of guilt, self-abnegation and salvation Untitled 01, a depiction of the end of days, feels like a logical conclusion of sorts. Untitled 06 underscores the radical self-love of Complexion (A Zulu Love) if anything, its acceptance is even more generous. All, though, provide a fascinating insight into Lamar’s creative process, whether extending his themes or pivoting to new angles on his preoccupations.
Its eight untitled tracks were mostly recorded during the To Pimp a Butterfly sessions in late 2014, and range from casual studio demos to fully fledged, gorgeously produced songs as fleshed out as anything on the album they were cut from.