X (Deluxe Version)

To say Chris Brown is no stranger to controversy is an understatement: Brown and controversy are BFFs. In the year leading up to the release of X, Brown's sixth studio album, the singer spent time in court, jail, and rehab. And this isn't lost on him: "I swear to god I'm moving on," he asserts right at the outset on the title track. Its dicey lyrics aside ("I'll calculate a home invasion"), "Add Me In" offers an infectious groove; Brown channels Stevie Wonder on the chorus. "Autumn Leaves" is dreamily affecting alt-R&B with characteristically thoughtful guest verses from Kendrick Lamar. X is generally more R&B-leaning, distinct from the dance-pop excursions of Brown's previous albums. The production—conjured by a range of names from Diplo to Danja—sounds grown-up, a fusion of high-gloss textures and languid beats.