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Waves
EP by Mick Jenkins
Released	August 21, 2015 (2015-08-21)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	28:28
Label	Cinematic
Producer	Kaytranada Lee Bannon Mulatto Stefan Ponce THEMpeople
Mick Jenkins chronology
The Waters (2014) Waves (2015) The Healing Component (2016)

Waves (stylized as Wave) is the debut extended play (EP) by American rapper Mick Jenkins. It was released on August 21, 2015, by Cinematic Music Group.

Background

The extended play includes guest features from Saba, Sean Deaux, and The Mind. The majority of the production was by THEMpeople, with Kaytranada, Lee Bannon, Stefan Ponce and Mulatto also producing.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.9/10
Metacritic	77/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Consequence of Sound	B+
Exclaim!	8/10
Pitchfork	7.6/10
PopMatters	7/10
Spin	8/10
XXL	4/5

Waves received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77, based on nine reviews. Paul Simpson of AllMusic stated, "His music seems a slight bit more danceable and accessible than before, but not to the point of pandering to a hedonistic club audience." Sheldon Pearce of Consequence of Sound stated, "The biggest difference between the two projects is that The Water focused in on the dense raps, and Wave is far more vibe-driven, with songs ready for radio." Samantha O'Connor of Exclaim! stated, "Wave is a clear indication that Jenkins is expanding his sound and stepping away from expectation as he prepares his debut album, The Healing Component. But in the meantime, he's established himself as an artist with even more to offer than many predicted." Brian Duricy of PopMatters stated, "On Wave, Mick Jenkins, whether consciously or otherwise, created a polished body of work with radio-ready potential."

David Drake of Pitchfork stated, "It points to an artistic flexibility that will pay dividends down the road. The room to grow is there, should he decide to pursue the colors Wave has opened up for him." Dan Weiss of Spin stated, "Wave is louder, catchier, and about half the length of The Water." Sidney Madden of XXL stated, "Although it doesn't pan out on every track, the cohesive work allows the listener to feel that they've plunged into the depths of Mick's mind and come out with a soaked sense of clarity."

Track listing

References

1. "Mick Jenkins Announces Wave[s] Mixtape, Shares "Get Up Get Down"". Pitchfork. July 20, 2015. Archived from the original on March 18, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
2. "Wave[s] by Mick Jenkins reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
3. ^ "Reviews for Wave(s) [EP]". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
4. ^ Paul Simpson. "Wave(s) – Mick Jenkins". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
5. ^ Sheldon Pearce (August 17, 2015). "Mick Jenkins – Wave[s]". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
6. ^ Samantha O'Connor (August 19, 2015). "Mick Jenkins Wave[s]". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
7. ^ David Drake (August 21, 2015). "Mick Jenkins: Wave[s]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
8. ^ Brian Duricy (August 26, 2015). "Mick Jenkins: Wave[s]". PopMatters. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
9. ^ Dan Weiss (August 17, 2015). "Review: Mick Jenkins, 'Wave(s)'". Spin. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
10. ^ Sidney Madden (August 28, 2015). "Mick Jenkins Dives Deep on New Project 'Wave[s]' – XXL". XXL. Archived from the original on August 29, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

• 2015 debut EPs
• Hip-hop EPs
• Albums produced by Kaytranada
• Albums produced by Fred Warmsley