“How do you like it up there? What’s the view from up there?” Jhene Aiko sings on the introduction track “LSD” from her second studio album TRIP.

Aiko plays Penny, a poet who finds herself romantically involved with a traveler named Dante in the wake of her brother’s death. Penny and Dante’s carefree relationship quickly becomes complicated by drug use while Penny struggles to cope with the loss of her brother.

Aiko initially surprised music fans with a book of poems, a 23-minute short film and a 22-track album, with no promotion leading up to its release. Did Aiko release something thoughtful and profound or rushed and poorly executed?

Standout moments on the album include features from Big Sean, Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd, R&B legend Brandy, guitarist John Mayer and Aiko’s daughter Namiko Love. Sean appears on “Moments” and “OLLA (Only Lovers Left Alive),” which is the better of the two tracks. “OLLA” is delivered over a 80’s drum machine sounding loop with dreamy chords laid on top. It’s fun, dancy and the chemistry between the two makes the song easy on the ears.

Swae Lee is featured on the song “Sativa,” a slow chilled out trap banger that comes off as one of the albums smoothest cuts. The instrumental is simple, melodic and functional. Nothing too exciting, but the vocals are what really take center stage on this track. You’ve never heard Swae Lee like this before. On his own previous tracks he has attempted to sing high vocals but often comes off comical and cannot be taken seriously. That is not the case on this record. With Aiko doing the heavy lifting behind his vocals, the unlikely pair, seem to have made a hit.

It’s no wonder why the track “While We’re Young” is the single of the album. The instrumental moves at its own slow pace. It gives off a happy, yet introspective vibe that sets Aiko up to showcase her voice in the best way possible. Her voice on this track takes its time to go from zero to 60 mph. Perfectly building up her vocals for the duration of the song. This track is decent and has a fair amount of radio potential. 

“I enjoyed the overall melody and her lyrics of nostalgia, youth, love and happiness,” said DJ and communications major, Kristan Milleza. “I felt that this song definitely matched Jhene’s musical style, as she successfully gave a sense of imagery and emotion.”

This is Jhene’s first solo attempt at a conceptual album with a narrative, compared to her previous solo work. Unfortunately, the narrative at hand just isn’t the reason why you would want to finish listening to the LP.

Although this is a 22-track album, it comes with shorter tracks and interludes. “LSD” tries its best to set up the story doesn’t do it well enough to the listener to care too much about the albums narrative. “Mystic Journey – Freestyle” and “Picture Perfect – Freestyle” which appear in the later stages of the album just come off as unfinished ideas and end too early, leaving more to be desired.

Despite this album losing focus from the narrative she established in the first half of the album, particularly after the interlude “Bad Trip,” Aiko is able to put together her most heartfelt, emotional, conceptual and ambitious body of work to date.

You can see Aiko during the San Francisco stop of her tour, “Trip,” featuring Willow Smith, Kodie Shane and Kitty Cash at the Regency Ballroom on December 10.