While Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi eclipsed pretty much the entire remainder of the bygone festive breather so far as general enjoyment went, of the trailers which preceded (I presume) its more or less every showing worldwide, only Ryan Coogler’s forthcoming Black Panther adaptation looked even vaguely likely to engender a comparatively positive response in 2018. The rest – reprehensibly forgettable – did little to enliven hopes for this still totally embryonic year, although if the IMAX-maximised imagery and thunderous surround sound didn’t quite sell you on Marvel’s latest cinematic escapade, then perhaps the news that its soundtrack is/ was produced by one Kendrick Lamar will…
Lifted from that aforesaid soundtrack comes the suitably filmic, SZA-featuring All the Stars, Lamar seemingly looking set to continue on the stratospheric ascent brought about by DAMN. The Compton, Californian’s fourth studio full-length heard him fly – at times – that little bit too close for comfort to hip hop’s red-hot, typically ribald, but poppier neck of its proverbial universe; however, replete with simple, pulsating synths, pumping drums and lustrous strings reminiscent of Tellier’s La Ritournelle, All the Stars instead makes for the kind of scintillating, silken production Lamar seems almost reluctant to release as readily as he doubtless could. In short, therefore, this one’s “everything you [could’ve] hoped for”.