8/10

Individually, both Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have risen to the highest heights of the commercial scene. Regularly racking up countless awards, chart-topping singles, and international acclaim for the last few years, their presence has been almost unparalleled with everything they produce. So when it was first announced that they would be teaming up to create a collaborative project called Silk Sonic, there was instant appeal and buzz running around the two. And after a few months of unveiling some captivating singles, they deliver their debut studio album 'An Evening With Silk Sonic', a record that stands as a love letter to their most beloved influences.

Ever since the first Silk Sonic offerings were shared, we knew that this was going to be an album calling back to the 70s Motown soul sound. While Anderson .Paak has made a career out of revitalising this direction, and Bruno Mars regularly coopting the smooth grooves for his own pop project, it makes sense that these two would find some common ground within this guise. But rather than just create a carbon copy of that era's most shimmering aesthetic, 'An Evening With Silk Sonic' is an incredibly well versed and produced homage that takes those familiar tropes and remodels them for a modern ear.

There was never any doubt that this partnership wouldn't deliver some serious goods, but 'An Evening With Silk Sonic' feels like a lot more than just another acclaimed supergroup. There is a strong love and appreciation for the music they are creating here, something that could see this venture move out of the side-project territory and become the pair's next permanent endeavour.