Following the enormous success of Gemini Rights, Steve Lacy returns with an album that had a lot to live up to. While it doesn’t quite reach the same highs as its predecessor, it’s still a strong project that feels like a natural progression rather than a simple attempt to recreate past success.

The biggest shift is in the atmosphere. Steve moves away from the warmer psychedelic funk that defined much of Gemini Rights while keeping the core elements of his sound intact: minimal, heavily layered, guitar-driven production that leaves plenty of room for texture and emotion. In its place is something more atmospheric and introspective, feeling less like a summer groove and more like a late-night spiral.

"The Feeling" is easily the standout. Steve's vocals here are some of the best I've ever heard from him, showing a level of control and vulnerability that feels refreshing. Love me some Malcolm Todd endings. "The Feeling" soloed his entire discography, and honestly most of Oh Yeah? while it was at it. The track captures the best parts of Steve’s songwriting: restrained production, unexpected vocal layers, and a sense of emotion that feels effortless.

It’s also refreshing to hear Steve experiment with trip-hop influences on "pure color." The hypnotic, slow-rolling production is a great direction for him, but what a waste of an Erykah Badu feature. A track with that kind of atmosphere and a feature from an artist of that caliber feels like it should have been a much bigger moment.

The biggest question mark is probably Steve’s writing. I wouldn’t necessarily call it bad — it’s just Steve being Steve. He’s always been willing to throw in the most out-of-pocket bars imaginable, and whether they make you laugh or completely take you out of the song, they’ve become part of his charm.

“Hard to smile ’cause I had the coochie stuck in my teeth
Been a while since I had some coochie stuck in my teeth”

It’s ridiculous, but that unpredictability is also what makes Steve feel so authentic. He has never been interested in presenting himself as a perfectly polished songwriter. He’s messy, impulsive, and honest, even when that honesty comes with some questionable decisions.

Interestingly, I came across an interpretation of this lyric that suggests it could be about using intimacy as a coping mechanism while dealing with heartbreak elsewhere in the album. It’s an interesting perspective that frames the line less as a random joke and more as an expression of avoidance, emotional conflict, and self-destructive tendencies. Whether that was Steve’s intention or not, it fits with the larger theme of the album: complicated feelings from someone who isn’t always trying to make himself look good.

Overall, this is a solid evolution for Steve Lacy. It expands his sound without losing the personality that made him stand out in the first place. It may not have the same immediate impact as Gemini Rights, but the best moments prove that Steve is still one of the most interesting voices in alternative R&B.