Together with her immaculate voice and clean soundscapes, the rising R&B star created an effortless-sounding journey, subdued and infrequently homogenous (for higher or for worse). For her sophomore report, Chook’s Eye – the distinction is stark, gone are the plentiful lulling melodies in favour of daring experimentation and a constantly stunning tracklist.
From its first moments with the guitar-laden, indie-pop chill of “Genius,” it’s clear it is a totally different Lenae. As a substitute of quieting her voice to suit onto mesmerizing whispers, she makes use of it to the fullest extent to command a tune. It’s best to see the report’s disparity between lead singles “Love Is Blind” and “Love Me Not” – the previous a neo-soul quantity customary for Lenae and the latter a relaxed, groovy indie rock lower concerning the duality of want. “1 of 1”, too, begins with a digitized wind-up beat extra befitting for somebody like Charli xcx that continues via the tune as she sings a few formless, free-falling love – pulling up the films simply to depart at first, letting a companion information her wherever. It’s unexplored terrain for Lenae, however one way or the other works.
There’s a little bit of a rustic nod on “Days”, whose guitars strum by like syrup on a sunny afternoon – dare I say there’s a touch of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville” in there? She sings about reducing off a combative lover, however as an alternative of seeing the optimistic, to start once more the place the connection ended, she laments the time she misplaced with him. “You’re the lightning / You’re the summer season / I used to be ready / Ready for summer season,” she admits. There’s one other sophisticated relationship with the Infantile Gambino-assist “One Want,” not a few romantic companion, however her father. It’s a devastating, uncooked portrait of an 18-year-old Lenae, whose dad forgets to indicate up at her birthday celebration. “I can’t spend this one want on you,” she sings, her voice floating off into the space. Although it stings, her teenage self isn’t ready to interrupt her connection but. “I can’t hate you, regardless of how arduous I strive,” she admits, “I simply faux to.” It’s weak, actual, and its lilting twang make it immediately replayable.
For the diehard Hypnos followers, there’s nonetheless some gorgeously-sung, laid-back R&B to be discovered on Chook’s Eye. “Sweet” is a tropical reggaeton bop, whose portrait of affection’s simplicity matches its lyrics (“You may name me simply to say goodnight / You may name me on a Friday evening”), the aforementioned “Genius” shrugs on the face of petty battle in a relationship: “What’s love with out the dialog? / What’s love with out some confrontation?” she asks. “Dangerous Concept” picks up on a number of the futuristic, pulsing terrain of her previous concepts, and “Pilot” is a spacey ode to remoted self-discovery (“Pay me no thoughts / I’m only a pilot roaming”), reflective however cheerful. These pad the extra attention-grabbing tracks in a grounded, worthwhile circulate that proves she will nonetheless mesmerize.
Lenae is an artist clearly tired of stagnancy. It could have been far too simple to relaxation on the laurels of her well-received and vibey debut, to churn out adjoining tracks with out private development, however Chook’s Eye is a portrait of a musician prepared to push themselves. It could possibly be a little bit longer, or extra cohesive, however not everybody’s sophomore mission is as dangerous – or, apparently, as relaxed. Chook’s Eye is a present, and Ravyn Lenae’s on her manner up.
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