WILLOW, Gallant, Leon Thomas, And More New R&B For Lucid Dreams
This week in R&B is for the dreamers, the empaths, and those craving intimacy—but not necessarily in the physical sense. Love, in its omnipresent form, is still the foundation for many of our new selects. Artists like Leon Thomas, Gallant, Mario, October London, and India Shawn explore that complexity as it relates to personal experiences.
WILLOW and Bilal hold it down on the experimental front as they carve out their own sound. Meanwhile, rising stars Jhyve, Aliah Sheffield, The Amours, Amber Mark, and Dylan Sinclair remind listeners that R&B is in great hands with the next generation of talent.
Dream on and love harder as VIBE soundtracks your feelings with our top, new R&B offerings.
WILLOW – ceremonial contrafact (empathogen deluxe)
WILLOW’s sixth album, empathogen, is still one of the best albums of the year, but she’s not done. This week, she gives fans three new tracks from its deluxe edition, ceremonial contrafact.
“The ’empathogen’ album was so special to me that I just wanted to extend the journey for people who also love the album. It really fills my heart to be able to have such beautiful pieces of music with people that I love,” WILLOW gushed in a statement.
Many agree that the LP is, arguably, her best work to date, but it’s also gotten better with the new tunes to add more color to the album’s vibrancy.
Gallant – Zinc.
Gallant’s Zinc. is that sequel to Ology that we didn’t get back then. It’s a sonic experiment in all the best ways as he untethered from norms and projections to make the album he wanted to make.
Of Zinc., Gallant shared, “It’s a fresh start without confusion and the pressures of being part of a big machine. All that mattered was if a song spoke to me and if it reflected all of the weird things that make up who I am as a fan and as a person. I entertained myself and got a lot off my chest. I stuck to my guns and created an unfettered body of work that feels like me. I created the kind of music I wish existed and I could hear as a fan.”
The current focus track is the Nao-assisted, “Centigrade,” which touches on the aftermath of an argument where one has to sit with one’s thoughts and feelings, processing how the debate began. “I’m fascinated by the idea of that pause. It’s an interesting purgatory,” said Gallant. We’ve sat with this one for some time and it’s worth the arbitrary wait.
Leon Thomas – MUTT
Leon Thomas has done it again. Just one year after Electric Dusk took over R&B, he’s returned with his new album, MUTT.
Still bold and introspective, it redefines the confines of modern R&B while exploring the depths of emotional intimacy and detachment as it relates to a search for honest connection.
“‘MUTT’ was an album I made after a long-term relationship. I was both advancing in my personal career and learning about myself in solitude,” Thomas said about the LP’s inspiration. “During my journey of being newly single, I began to document through my music examples of our need for control within the modern dating climate. In my previous relationship, I was gifted a dog, and after studying his behavior, I discovered similarities. He’s currently untrained and surviving on his natural instincts, while I, as his owner, am constantly in a position to demand obedience. ‘MUTT’ is a metaphor for our need and desire as human beings to exert some control over our partners. I explored themes from jazz, rock & roll, hip-hop, and R&B, giving myself no parameters for personal expression. This project delves into every part of me: the balance between control and chaos.”
The album includes features from Masego, Wale, Baby Rose, Ty Dolla $ign, Freddie Gibbs, and Axlfolie.
October London – “A Beautiful Woman”
October London is aptly teasing his upcoming album with the arrival of his new single, “A Beautiful Woman.” The premise behind the track is an obvious one. It’s reminiscent of music heard from Raheem DeVaughn, Maxwell, Eric Benét, and D’Angelo.
It’s soulful, sexy, and grown—a perfect soundtrack for someone ready to praise the lady in their life. His sophomore album, October Nights, is slated for release on Oct. 11.
India Shawn – “There Must Be a God”
For Andscape’s new original film, She Taught Love, they called upon some of music’s finest for the soundtrack. India Shawn’s “There Must Be A God” is the closing track and is a heartfelt, uptempo finale to the beauty of love and faith.
“I wrote this song almost a year ago (co-written by Nasri Atweh and produced by D’ Mile & Mamalarky), long before I knew about this film—yet it feels so perfectly made for it,” Shawn told VIBE about the record’s inception. “Personally, I had been feeling unseen and unloved for so long and I was able to experience a connection that let me know that God hadn’t forgotten about me, it restored my faith in both love and a higher power.”
Bilal – Adjust Brightness
After an eight-year hiatus, Bilal is back with Adjust Brightness. It’s futuristic, funky, soulful, and jazzy without sounding like a cacophony.
When speaking about the new LP, Bilal reflected, “I wanted to create music that challenges the digital age — music that confuses the algorithms and speaks to our humanity. ‘Adjust Brightness’ is about love, warmth, and intimacy. It’s an intimate, human record that speaks to the heart in an era of cold, digital sounds.”
Despite Bilal venturing into uncharted territory, the LP comes together masterfully as it still embodies the elements that have always been at his core.
Mario – “Space”
Ahead of his tour with Mary J. Blige and new album, Mario is reminding fans he’s still got it with his new single, “Space.” Produced by BNYX and co-written by James Fauntleroy, the dynamic jam was inspired by the likes of Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. It’s such a fun listen that really makes you want to groove and have a good time.
When speaking about working with Fauntleroy, Mario explained, “James and I have a similar philosophy when it comes to the love of timeless music. The omnipresence of all of the things that lends itself to the writing process. Our stories, our lives, what we observe and absorb.”
His new album is set to arrive this winter.
Amber Mark – “Won’t Cry”
Amber Mark’s new single, “Won’t Cry” is like a groovy quiet storm. Written, produced, and performed by Mark, the record helps one dance through their pain. She pleads, “Dance floor, take me / Break me down, liberate me […] No I won’t cry for an end that never began / I won’t waste my time on you.”
When speaking about her preferred method of coping, Mark explained in a statement, “Going out dancing has always been a way for me to let go, and ‘Won’t Cry’ is the soundtrack to that feeling. It may be a little cliché, but sometimes you just gotta sweat out the drama and leave the mess on the dance floor while looking cute doing it.”
The record will appear on her upcoming project, Loosies. “As I’ve been working on so much music for the next album, this mini project just started coming together. It’s loose, sweaty, and a little dance-floor,” Mark noted. “The rest is coming, but this is a little thank you to anyone who’s waiting for being so patient.”
Dylan Sinclair – FOR THE BOY IN ME
Dylan Sinclair’s debut album has arrived. FOR THE BOY IN ME is a melting pot of his gospel, R&B, and pop influences blended with inspiration from his Guyanese and Filipino roots and Toronto upbringing.
Executive produced by Jordon Manswell and Sinclair himself, the 23-year-old embraces his vulnerable side as he “tells true, relatable stories through catchy melodies.” Of the LP, he shared in a statement, “In a world where men are not encouraged to be vulnerable, this album ‘FOR THE BOY IN ME’ disregards that, choosing to tell it like it is.”
He details what it’s like having a supportive partner as a rising star, the challenges he’s faced to sustain that relationship, and the overall growth that comes over the years. Like us, we anticipate that after the first listen, you’ll be scrambled to run this infectious, inviting, and endearing album back more than once.
Aliah Sheffield – “Red Flags”
Aliah Sheffield’s “Red Flags” is an emotional ballad that makes you want to slide down a wall and sob. Armed with only her voice and a piano, Sheffield reflects on her own bad habits that cause her to choose the wrong men while also acknowledging the red flags she’s identified in past partners.
It’s an all too relatable feeling of regret. “I know you’re no good for me/ It’s right in front of me/ Red flag,” she sings on the chorus as she tugs on your heartstrings—reminding listeners that you can evade this feeling by not ignoring the red flags.
The Amours – “The Game”
Very demure. Very mindful. Very cutesy. The Amours aren’t like these other girls who aren’t flirty and having fun with R&B. The duo, composed of sisters Jakiya and Shaina, shared their new single, ‘THE GAME,’ produced by Camper and Mamii. Not only does their talent and harmony dominate the track, but it amplifies their latest full release, CHANGES, which was also EP’d by Camper.
The women shared, “From the moment we heard the production of this song, we knew we had to write to it. It felt fun, flirty, ‘very cutesy’ haha. We think that the great thing about being artist is that we’re able to create a new masterpiece with every single song or era. Not placing ourselves in a box and being open to playing around with different sounds, melodies and hooks that we wouldn’t typically do. ‘The Game’ isn’t too far off from how we talk that talk, but this time around we sprinkled a little sugar on it to make it sweeter.”
Jhyve – War&Peace
We stumbled upon the greatness that is Jhyve and instantly fell in love.
With his new album, War&Peace, the Canadian crooner first stole the hearts of the masses when he was crowned winner of CBC Music’s Searchlight competition for emerging artists in 2021. Now, he’s back with his new album.
“Before you release an album, you have to write it. Before you write it, you have to reflect. Before you reflect, you have to heal. Before you heal, you have to hurt. Before you hurt, you need to live and love,” he expressed. “It took 4 years of living and loving to make this. 4 years of going to war with my old self to bring about peace within a new self. I don’t even know if y’all will hear that… maybe you just like the beats or the sound of my voice. But I swear this art s**t is so real to me so please: listen thru. No skips. And just float in it.” We couldn’t have said it better.
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