R&B duo THEY. has launched their fourth album LOVE.JONES by way of drink sum wtr.
The featureless mission, which merges the final names of members Drew Love and Dante Jones, was additionally impressed by the 1997 cult basic Love Jones.
“I simply maintain films on whereas we’re working and Love Jones sort of sparked one thing and had me desirous about our very, very early days,” says Jones.
“I feel there’s this bizarre parallel that was sort of taking place in each of our lives round that interval the place we’re each being immersed in utterly completely different cultures from the place we got here from, like, actual soulful Black tradition, cities that had a very wealthy black historical past. We didn’t know one another, we’re on reverse ends of the nation, however we had been each sort of going by these transformative occasions.”
Throughout 10 tracks, THEY. take listeners on a nostalgic journey again to early-aughts R&B with their signature contact. Just like the Larenz Tate and Nia Lengthy-starring film, Love Jones is a celebration of Black love in all its highs and lows.
“Rotation” is a late-night gradual burner that hears Love singing, “Touchin’, caressin / Whereas I’m stripping you bare / Tie each of your palms up / Love watching you are taking it / Making use of the stress / Oh, you bought me so anxious.”
In the meantime, the acoustic-driven “Can’t Let Go” underscores the complexity of grappling with turmoil in a relationship and the issue in transferring on from it: “I can’t forgive and simply neglect, no, not this time / Lady, your phrases, they minimize so deep inside my thoughts / However I can’t simply let go.”
LOVE.JONES was preceded by the singles “Diamonds and Pearls,” “Straight Up” and “Choosin.” It follows their 2023 album, Nü Moon, which featured collaborations with Yung Bleu, Fana Hues, Kacey Musgraves, Bino Rideaux, ADÉ, and blackbear.
“Nü Moon is supposed to symbolize a brand new period for THEY. We take a look at each album as a chance for us to reinvent ourselves and refine our sound,” THEY. stated. “We coated numerous new floor sonically on this album whereas nonetheless sustaining the darker R&B sound our followers have come to like over time. Being impartial for the primary time in our careers has put the ability again in our palms.”
Earlier than Nü Moon, THEY. launched their sophomore album, The Amanda Tape, in 2020 by way of Avant Backyard/Island Information. The album featured appearances by Tinashe (“Play Struggle“), Juicy J (“STCU”), and Wale (“Shedding Focus”). It additionally included different well-liked tracks equivalent to “Depend Me In” and “All Mine.”
In 2017, THEY. dropped their debut album, Nü Faith: Hyena, by way of Thoughts of a Genius/Warner Information. It included necessities like “Dante’s Creek,” “U-RITE” and “Motley Crew.”
Other than their work as THEY., Drew Love and Dante Jones have each saved busy working with different artists. Love co-wrote a number of songs on John Legend’s 2022 album LEGEND, together with “Splash” that includes Jhené Aiko and Ty Dolla $ign and “Strawberry Blush.” He’s additionally written for a variety of artists equivalent to Ok. Michelle (“Ain’t You”), Tinashe (“X”), and Sevyn Streeter (“Moist Dreamz”).
As for Jones, he most just lately produced FLO‘s radio single “On & On,” including to his resumé that features Alina Baraz‘s “Extra Than Sufficient,” Chris Brown‘s “Caught On Silly,” Tori Kelly’s “The Lie,” amongst others.
Stream THEY.’s new album LOVE.JONES under.