Steve Lacy returns with his second album ‘Gemini Rights’
After a three-year hiatus, The Internet’s Steve Lacy is back with his second studio album.
★★★★☆
Photo: Alan Lear
This second outing welcomes collaborations from producer Matt Martians and alt R&B artist Fousheé who work alongside the producer, guitarist and storyteller that is Steve Lacy (is there anything this guy can’t do?).
Static opens the record with subtle piano notes that allow Steve’s beautifully poetic voice to be heard clearly. The album itself is following the repercussions of a breakup and you can hear the first stage of the process, the anger along with some take-home worthwhile advice: “If you had to stunt your shining for your lover / Dump that fucker”. The tempo turns for the next track Helmet, which still holds slight bitterness but you can also feel the realisation hit that those brighter days are coming.
Mercury hits different yet still carries on the upbeat vibe with an almost flamenco orchestral feel. It’s not hard to know this song is instantly one of my favourites on the record as, even though it explores the turmoil of those back-and-forth feelings in a breakup, it still plays with the notion of “I’ve got this”. Leading into the fourth track, Buttons, which has Steve’s playful trademark mix of synth and bass lines running throughout whilst he’s toying with either going back to the past lover or distracting with someone new.
The fifth track and first single released from the album, Bad Habits does not disappoint with those funk synths and guitar riffs complementing the accompanying lines. Producer Matt Martians features on the next 50-seconds of the dreamy and rather soulful interlude track 2Gether, leading smoothly into Cody Freestyle; a more washed out, slower track from Lacy. Amber and Sunshine bring back the emotional breeziness, with the latter combining the serenity of both Steve and Fousheé’s vocals — hello match made in heaven!
The closing track on the record — and one with undoubtedly the most groove — Give You The World, leaves us with another sweet, soulful song that highlights Steve’s impressive skillset when it comes to music production, alongside a reminder of what this album is all about: love. Overall, Gemini Rights is a welcome return from Steve Lacy, who initially gained recognition as the guitarist of alt R&B collective The Internet. He has firmly paved his own way as a multi talented producer, songwriter and singer. And I can’t wait to keep tabs on what else is to come in the near future!
Gemini Rights is out now via RCA Records.