Mansionz, Mansionz | Album Review 💿

Mansionz, comprised of Mike Posner and blackbear, releases an incredible, ambitious debut album, fittingly titled, ‘Mansionz.’

What happens when two underappreciated, incredibly talented musicians collaborate together? Fire.  Mike Posner and blackbear collaborate as mansionz, an eclectic group formed in 2016 encompassing hip-hop, pop, and R&B.  Their self-titled debut materializes in 2017, and it is a sight to behold. Mansionz likely won’t get its just due, much like the two musicians who created it, but it’s a project more people should be talking about, period.

“My Beloved”

Following instrumental intro “Snoozefest,” ✓ “My Beloved” gets mansionz off to a quick start. The first sign that “My Beloved” is hot is the sample of David Lang’s “Just (After Songs of Songs).”  Beyond the allure of the music itself, Mike Posner and blackbear are on autopilot. Posner is reliant on sex as opposed to emotional depth on the first verse:

“I never wanted to own you, just your neck
Just your good needs, just your two breasts
Just the good parts of you and your perfume, baby
Don’t ask the sun to shine more like the moon, baby.”

The chorus is catchy as albeit, sung by blackbear:

“Just your neck, just your couch
Just your perfume, and my beloved
And your wrists, just my couch
And my love.”

Blackbear gets two of his own verses, with the physical versus emotional trend continuing on.

“STFU” 

✓ “STFU” featuring Spark Master Tape served as the promo single for the album back in 2016. The acronym means just what you think – shut the f*ck up.  Charming.  As blunt as it is, “STFU” fits the modern R&B vibe where being profane is what’s trending. Blackbear takes on the more chill role, much like he did on “My Beloved,” singing in relaxed fashion.  As for Posner, he embraces his inner hip-hop once more, pop-rapping in maddening, rhythmic fashion.  Spark Master Tape provides a lift on the fourth and final verse. His vocals are pitch-shifted.

✓ “Dennis Rodman” appropriately features Dennis Rodman, who provides the outro for the track. The track embodies spirit of the flamboyant former NBA star.  The bigger picture is the fact that it embraces being free spirited.  The final verse offers a perfect moment of free-spiritedness:

“Yeah, I’ma wear a dress if I want to
Green hair, fishnets if I want to
Smoke, drink, do drugs if I want to
I ain’t really trying to impress you
I’ma be as bad as I wanna be
You can be as mad as you wanna be.”

“I’m thinking about horses”

“I’m thinking about horses” is epic. Posner is in full-fledged reflective mode, speaking about God, love, sex, and death.  A poem as opposed to a vocal performance or rap, Posner truly seems to question life itself.  The best lyrical moment is arguably his Vincent van Gogh reference:

“But people want an ending, they want a crash
They want an ear in the fucking mail
I don’t have one.”

“I’m thinking about horses” has nothing to do with horses.  It’s about the mind of Mike Posner.  Honestly, his reflections are quite relatable, even if they are incredibly random. “Nobody knows” featuring Soren Bryce seems to characterize both artists as not your ordinary. Bryce adds the cherry on top, singing the chorus that summarizes the aforementioned sentiment.  Divided into two parts, Bryce exits the picture during the second part. Blackbear questions his beliefs and his actions, maintaining the reflective sentiment of Posner’s “I’m thinking about horses.” As for Posner, he paints a picture of being misunderstood and potentially dangerous to females.

“Wicked”

“A Million Miles” features some of the slickest production of the album, firmly planted in the stuttering, modern rap sound.  Follow-up ✓ “Wicked,” featuring G-Eazy, ranks among the grooviest joints from Mansionz.  The chorus is irresistible, even if it’s sentiment is oversimplified:

“She’s fucking wicked
But I love the way she hurts me
I’m so addicted to her loving
That girl is vicious
When you see her, be sure
That you’re keeping your distance
From her loving.”

As always, G-Eazy is in his lane:

“She stopped my hand when I would try to put it up her skirt
She don’t wanna give it, she just wanna flirt.” 

✓ “Rich White Girls” is infectious from a first listen. Blackbear nails the chill, yet blunt chorus, which ranks among the crème de la crème of Mansionz. 

"Rich white girls
All I'm doing is wasting my time chasing rich white girls, yeah
All they do is bitch and they whine
So tell me what could I give you that your daddy can’t give you?
Baby, what could I give, to a rich white girl?
They only love me when I pay ‘em no mind.” 

The tropical pop of “Strip Club” should win over every college fraternity with its mellow, nonchalant vibes. There’s no substance, nor was substance ever intended –.save for drinks.  The horniness knows no ends:

“It’s fuckin poetry how she pole dance
You should come and do that shit up on Pos’ pants
Bring them hoes, reach your toe, tell ‘em hold hands
We just wanna fuck, no slow dance, romance…” 

“White Linen”

✓ “White Linen” keeps the hits rolling along. CyHi the Prince delivers a stellar verse over folk-pop production – an unlikely combination.  Following the verse, Mike Posner delivers a beautiful, smooth vocal on the chorus:

“White linen
I make most of my mistakes when I’m laying on top of white linen
When the fives line up just right at night, are you listening?
I am sinning, white women like swimming right in my
White linen.”

As for blackbear, he gets the benefit of hard hip-hop drums giving “White Linen” more toughness.  Like the added oomph, blackbear’s verse is hard-hitting – in a most shallow way of course:

“Just had a threesome at this party we decided to throw
I grab one by the hair, I grab the other bitch by the throat
And suddenly, the whole scene played in slow motion
I gave ‘em each blackbear hoodies and a bump of my blow.”

Penultimate record “Gorgeous” lays back, retaining the chill vibes that make mansionz such a superb debut.  ✓ “The Life of a Troubadour” is arguably the most creative, ambitious record.  It concludes the album epically, assisted by Snoozegod.  “The Life of a Troubadour” is the most left-field song off an incredible left-field project.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, mansionz ends up being a stellar album.  Mike Posner and blackbear have assembled a superb project, worthy of wider recognition than it’ll likely receive.  Even if mansionz overexerts itself sexually and profanely, the two bros never miss the mark here.  Don’t sleep on mansionz. 

✓ Gems: “My Beloved,” “STFU,” “Dennis Rodman,” “Wicked,” “Rich White Girls,” “White Linen”  & “The Life of a Troubadour”

Mansionz • Mansionz • Island • Release: 3.24.17 

Photo Credit: Island