After we had to wait a few years for a Robin Thicke record, the hype surrounding this soul borderline pop singer has become pretty large. Upon several spins of his new album, ‘The Evolution of Robin Thicke,’ it's safe to say the hype can be believed.

The 16-track album showcases growth both personally and vocally with the diverse subject matter, multiple angles of production and experimentation of vocal range as communicated on ballad, “Lost Without U.” As Thicke transforms between high and low falsettos, the emotion of sexual emptiness is present before dipping into the pain of letting love go. On the flipside, another ballad, “2 the Sky” takes on self-discovery. It's about checking yourself, staying grounded and questioning decisions – a theme he also visits in the up-tempo, “Ask Myself,” a definite jam and highlight on the album. The chorus is catchy, the background vocals give it a good feel and the beat can fill a dancefloor. To continue that dance vibe, the heavily Spanish influenced track “Everything I Can't Have” is introduced with strong instrumentation. His voice combines a bit of desperation, frustration and a carefree attitude all balanced out over a horn and percussion section that gives the song a Latino flare. Thicke even flexes his Spanish speaking skills for a few lines. All those ingredients together make the song one of the best on the release. “Complicated” is another song that is a bit distinct, with its jazzy undertone and a light and breezy swing feel.

The guest roster isn't too bad either. Faith Evans lends a hand on the opening fast paced track, “Got 2 Be Down,” while Lil' Wayne brings his style on two songs. One of them, “Shooter,” was reincarnated from the unreleased Thicke album (the liner notes of this album refer you to the previous album for the words to this song) that keeps the same lyrics and rhythm and adds a verse of Southern hip-hop placed in the middle and a few extra repetitive whispers at the end. I refer to it as Thicke's street cred song. Everyone has one of those, as well as a radio friendly song, which on this release is “Wanna Love You Girl” featuring Pharrell – the man that took a chance and signed Thicke to Startrak Records. The chorus is contagious and the beat outshines and makes up for Pharrell's displaced rap. But, because the rest of the album is pretty dope, the rap can be forgiven. Speaking of beats, Robin Thicke produced all tracks (with Pro J), except “Wanna Love You Girl,” which was produced by the Neptunes.

For many, this album is their introduction to Robin Thicke. For others, it is a continuation of what he started years ago. Regardless of what category your ears fall in to, it is satisfying to those that like their soul a little sweet and a bit risky - risky in the sense of the album's release timing, production and miscellaneous sounds throughout. The gamble makes ‘The Evolution of Robin Thicke’ worth a listen or two. Not only that, but he's without the flashy dancers, high profile romances, and gimmicks that tend to win over fans. He's just got his voice and from the sound of it – that'll carry him through just fine.