The long awaited debut from Ravyn Lenae, following the much loved Crush EP, transports you to another planet. It’s evident Ravyn’s vocals have drifted into another dimension since she made quintessential Neo-soul with Steve Lacy who also appears on lead single Skin Tight and on some of the album’s production credits. Her evolution breathes new life into R&B and Neo-Soul, the ethereal harmonies and futuristic production work together to create what feels like ascension into outer space. Smino, Mereba and Foushee all feel like perfect choices for features, Mereba and Foushee’s vocals are soft and tranquil which compliments Ravyn’s vocal evolution and well, we all know Smino can slide on anything. The soft, abstract groove of the album supplied by producers such as Luke Titus, Monte Booker and Kaytranada just to name a few really pull the album together through different tempos and different flavours of genres, such as house and afrobeats, yet still remain cohesive. HYPNOS has proved to be one of the most exciting debuts of the year and through all the synths and heartfelt emotions, Rayvn Lenae comes out on top.
Written by Kat Friar