serpentwithfeet – DEACON (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 29:05 minutes | 321 MB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Secretly Canadian
serpentwithfeet is not only imagining, but exploring a world wherein Black love is paramount. His new album, DEACON, is “a study rather than a story,” delving into Black, gay love and the tenderness present in the best companionships, romantic or otherwise. Fully self-actualized and more devoted than ever to personal fulfilment, DEACON highlights his growth as a songwriter, which he credits to taking a more straightforward approach to expression. Spending time with pop songwriters and observing how they traverse language encouraged serpent to take more risks lyrically, resulting in more purity.
Largely unknown in Europe, serpentwithfeet is one of the mainstays of the R&B scene across the pond. His voice, steeped in gospel and experimental influences, has top-flight producers flocking to his side. That was true for his debut album, Soil, in 2018, and for the excellent follow-up Deacon, with Sampha, Lil Silva and duo Take A Daytrip aboard to lend a hand to this raw talent. With his mother having served as a choir director, no surprise to hear serpentwithfeet handle ambitious vocals with stunning harmonies, as in the album opener, Hyacinth. That’s the common thread throughout Deacon, from Dawn to the sublime duet with singer NAO, Heart Storm. The singer might have fallen into the trap of overproducing or over-arranging his music, but these rhythms are on point, allowing that versatile, towering voice to shine, proving that the Baltimore native has a magnificent musical future ahead of him. – Brice Miclet
Tracklist:
01. serpentwithfeet – Hyacinth
02. serpentwithfeet – Same Size Shoe
03. serpentwithfeet – Malik
04. serpentwithfeet – Amir
05. serpentwithfeet – Dawn
06. serpentwithfeet – Sailors’ Superstition
07. serpentwithfeet, Näo – Heart Storm (with NAO)
08. serpentwithfeet – Wood Boy
09. serpentwithfeet – Derrick’s Beard
10. serpentwithfeet – Old & Fine
11. serpentwithfeet – Fellowship
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