A spiritual lesson on contemporary R&B by two sisters.
Finding yourself. Its something you usually only understand when you are looking back at your life but in Chloe x Halle's case they accomplished it with an album. Their 2018 debut The Kids Are Alright was a precious moment in time when these two came into the light and really defined their sound and image. Songs like "Happy Without Me (feat. Joey Bada$$)" identify something we all go through specifically while growing up which is facing the end of your earliest relationship. "Grown" is the cherry on top of that innocent moment. It was a perfect precursor to their next body of work Ungodly Hour. In between all of this there may have been a historical Little Mermaid moment and a Beyonce & Jay-Z Tour, and a television show on Freeform. NBD.
With Ungodly Hour Chloe x Halle are definitely giving us the music we can identify with. We are growing up with them. Its the relatable in moments on songs like "Tipsy" and "Busy Boy" where basically nothing good happens after 12pm or um in this case 9 o'clock.
"It's nine o'clock I get a text saying, "Are you up?" 'Bout nine-fifteen My girl say she got the same message, same thing A few days yeah, we're cool Then you disappear like I'm a fool"
We have all been there. These anthem like songs are coupled with glittery vocal tracks and structured beats, some supplied by Mike WiLL Made-It on "Catch Up (feat. Swae Lee)". The album culminates at the album titled track "Ungodly Hour" hinged on dizzy vocals that are almost reminiscent of bedroom pop until the drop kicks in. The album as a whole is the sound track to a beautiful daydream. The perfect soundtrack to the made up scenarios in your head about the one person you can't stop thinking about.
Yes these Parkwood princesses may be on the cusp of true adulthood (early twenties it counts), however this album uncovers impressive wisdom and manages to do so with gentle yet powerful statements. "ROYL" tops off the album and is definitely what I mean when I say "powerful statement wrapped up in harmony". Before you know it you are back at the top of the album ready to give it another spin. All in all, an impressive 13 second track list that sets the bar high for contemporary R&B.
