Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) released his third studio album, Awaken My Love(stylized as "Awaken, My Love!") on December 2, but so far, the people I follow on Twitter don't seem to be too happy about it...

I was surprised to see that people were disappointed with Gambino's new release, for he is a pretty prominent figure in the hip-hop genre of the music industry as of late. I've listened to some of his music before, mainly from his first studio album, Camp -- my favorite will always be "Heartbeat." He also had a guest appearance on Ariana Grande's "Break Your Heart Right Back," and his verse is one of the best on My Everything.

My brother, Jacob, came up to me last to tell me that he thought I would really like Gambino's new album if I gave it a listen and that he really, really liked it too. I told him about what I was seeing on Twitter, and he informed me that it might be because the album isn't a rap album -- it's mostly instrumental with just a little bit of him singing. My curiosity was piqued.

So, today, I decided to finally try it out and see what all the fuss was about for myself; boy was it worth it.

My favorite types of albums are the ones that make me feel like I'm in dream, like reality is altered ever so slightly. The last album to do have that effect on me was Lady Wood by Tove Lo, and Awaken My Love is apart of that list now too. My first listen-through of an album is always surface level: I just take in the sounds and beats and melodies and see how my brain responds. My brain responded very well to this first listen through.

Guitar riffs, electric synths, and smooth, slow, and calming beats make this album pleasurable to listen to. The album is incredibly cohesive, and every song feels like it fits perfectly into the puzzle of the work as a whole. Gambino's vocals are varied and diverse, and he proves that he just as good a singer as he is a rapper and an actor.

The only reason I can come up with to explain why people aren't responding in the same way as I am is because it's, well, different than what he's done before. No rapping, no (excessive) foul language, not as much sex, the songs are much slower...

I get being a little bit taken aback when an artist releases music that is the opposite of what people were expecting: it can be a bit jarring. At the same time, artists cannot be expected to stick to the same trend and formula for years and years on end. Artists are people too, and they grow and mature just like you and me. I say more power to the artists that are willing to say, "you know what? No. I'm going to make the music I want to make, and there's nothing you can say or do to change that."

So to Childish Gambino, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo and so many more of you honest artists out there... thanks for being brutally honest and never holding back. Your integrity is conveyed through your music, and your true fans appreciate you for it.