Now with a number one hit under his belt after linking up with fellow Canadian Justin Bieber, the man who made massive waves in the alternative R&B space with his 2017 debut Freudian and followed it up with the mixed-reaction concept album CASE STUDY 01 returns with his third studio album. As you might expect, … Continue reading Daniel Caesar – NEVER ENOUGH
R&B
Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus
Despite Colombian singer Kali Uchis still chasing the peak in quality she achieved on her debut album, 2018’s Isolation, her commercial breakthrough actually happened when she decided to fully embrace her Spanish-language roots on her sophomore effort, the dreamy track “telepatia” breaking through to the radio waves. Apparently sitting on two finished albums, one in … Continue reading Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus
Kelela – Raven
It turns out that February 10, 2023 was a pretty great day for celebrated musicians releasing their first body of work since 2017. Joining Paramore but residing at the near complete opposite end of the sonic spectrum, alt-R&B singer Kelela returns for the first time since her hypnotic yet catchy set of tracks on Take … Continue reading Kelela – Raven
RAYE – My 21st Century Blues
It’s been said before, but once again – sometimes, TikTok really gets it right. London-based singer RAYE is just releasing her debut album now, but she’s been a force in the industry since she was signed to a major label as a teenager nearly a decade ago. Lending her songwriting credits to artists like David … Continue reading RAYE – My 21st Century Blues
Sam Smith – Gloria
Fresh off of their first Grammy win since nearly sweeping the big four categories with their debut back in 2015, Sam Smith’s evolution for their fourth studio album has been quite exciting to watch. After giving listeners a taste of a break from their usual balladry with the 2020 project Love Goes, which introduced a … Continue reading Sam Smith – Gloria
SZA – SOS
After a lengthy five-and-a-half-year wait with a rollout dating back as early as September 2020, SZA fans finally got to open an early Christmas present with the release of SOS, a follow-up to her transcendent Ctrl album that brought a refreshing new voice to the R&B genre and ignited the summer of 2017. With more than an … Continue reading SZA – SOS
Joji – SMITHEREENS
Now on his third album since reinventing himself with a new persona, the king of lo-fi balladry has returned with his briefest project yet. The follow-up to 2020’s solid Nectar, which saw Joji fleshing out his sparse sounds and astute songwriting instincts with production that was slightly more involved and less disjointed, things have swung … Continue reading Joji – SMITHEREENS
Smino – Luv 4 Rent
A longtime associate of quite a few beloved indie rappers like JID, Saba and Noname, St. Louis artist Smino’s steady critical acclaim has been building him a wider audience as time goes on. Now on his third studio album, Luv 4 Rent has elevated his streaming numbers to a new level as he continues to … Continue reading Smino – Luv 4 Rent
Kane Brown – Different Man
Shifting through different genres but always staying true to his roots, Kane Brown has been one of the most successful country cross-over acts of the past decade. After raising his profile and scoring his first #1 album with his last project, 2018’s appropriately titled Experiment, Brown’s third studio album mostly sees him returning to his … Continue reading Kane Brown – Different Man
Rod Wave – Beautiful Mind
Still only 23 and now releasing his fourth studio album in as many years, Florida’s Rod Wave might be the single person who truly best fits the “melodic rap” description applied to many artists as of late. Inspired by abundantly emotional pop and R&B singers – and often interspersing samples from unexpected places into his … Continue reading Rod Wave – Beautiful Mind
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 