Just moments into “Monica,” Jack Harlow’s first album in nearly three years, one thing is crystal clear: He was ready for a change. A veteran by his mid-20s — he’d released the first in a long string of mixtapes and EPs when he was in seventh grade — Harlow had enjoyed a strong run of sample-heavy hip-hop hits filled with his low-key but braggadocious rapping like “What’s Poppin’,” “First Class” and the chart-topping “Lovin’ on Me,” but he’d reached the end of that stylistic thread and a reset was in order.
Judging by the new album, that reset involved some quality time with D’Angelo’s 2000 R&B masterpiece “Voodoo” — a pioneering blend of hip-hop, classic soul, funk and jazz that is both a lean-back and a lean-forward listening experience — and an extended visit to the birthplace of that album, New York’s legendary Electric Lady Studios.
Reminiscent of “Voodoo” without being tethered to it, “Monica” is loaded with strolling tempos, jazzy guitar, gentle horns, whirring Hammond organ, rimshots and finger-snaps — a very warm and inviting sound with few sharp edges (there are few if any snare drums). The list and range of collaborators is a vivid cosign: virtuoso jazz-R&B keyboardist Robert Glasper is on several tracks, Ravyn Lenae sings on a few, Omar Apollo on another, and prominent among the many co-writers and co-producers is 24-year-old Norwegian wunderkind Aksel Arvid, who produced PinkPantheress’ latest (and shows his versatility here, because “Monica” sound nothing like that album).
But most impressively, Harlow himself has shifted his vocal style to suit the change in sound — rather than the laid-back but spotlight-grabbing approach of his past records, here he lays in the cut, his voice blending in with the band like another instrument in the ensemble rather than the center of attention. While his lyrics haven’t evolved to the same degree — they’re still of the “Wanna get with you baby girl” school — they seem to be more about one woman in particular (perhaps the album’s namesake?) rather than many, and are seasoned with the budding life wisdom you begin to accumulate by your mid-20s. However, his delivery of those lyrics has evolved enormously, shifting gears into a slurry but soulful drawl, a smart style of melodic rap-singing that he’s still exploring but shows promise.
Likewise, “Monica” is a reverent but respectful reflection of its influences, a hat tip rather than a full-on homage, that leaves Harlow with a wide open road to whatever comes next.
English (US) ·