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After dropping one of the more well-received R&B installments of the late 2010s, “East Atlanta Love Letter,” all the way back in 2018, Atlanta artist 6LACK has ended his five-year hiatus, releasing his third studio album “Since I Have A Lover” on March 24.

Generating mainstream success in November of 2016 with the album “FREE 6LACK,” he introduced his toxicity and longing for love into the R&B world. Largely a solo project, 6LACK was able to showcase his potential through upbeat and mellow instrumentals, harmonizing about broken relationships and speaking on new beginnings.

“East Atlanta Love Letter” sparked collaborations with other major Atlanta artists Future and Offset, while also putting out some of the best singles in his discography. “Pretty Little Fears” with J. Cole remains one of his most popular pieces within his catalog, amassing over 350 million streams on Spotify. “Balenciaga Challenge” and “Switch” included more fast-paced performances, while “Nonchalant” and “Stan” drew back to the slow instrumentals associated with R&B.

Dropping only two EPs between September of 2018 and March’s “Since I Have A Lover,” the break left fans hungry for what the immensely talented musician had in the tank. It’s safe to say he did not disappoint, based on the songs stacked within his newest project.

Album Overview & Rollout

The release of the EP “Rent Free/By Any Means” in 2021 was the first glimpse into what 6LACK may have in store for his future pieces of work. However, he didn’t announce the release of “Since I Have A Lover” until February of 2023. He teased the future project through a Dropbox post titled “6lackbox,” garnering anticipation from fans who would see a file listed as “Album 3.”

Releasing the album’s self-titled single on March 1, the rollout began for his long-awaited third album. Listed at 19 songs, his longest body of work, he blends together the themes he has touched upon in the past, as heartbreak, longing and love mesh to create the content.

Including features from Don Toliver, QUIN and a hidden verse from Wale, 6LACK utilizes their abilities matched with his solo talents for the third installment of his career. He seems to roll all of his past works into “Since I Have A Lover,” as the melodies, instrumentals and the overall themes flood the album with similarities to “East Atlanta Love Letter” and “FREE 6LACK.”

While staying true to his R&B roots, he includes chill-out and pop genres into several songs, combining slow tempos, reverb and dance-esque elements, expressing his versatility in the industry.

Standout Tracks

The song “cold feet” kicks off a phenomenal introduction to the album, as we hear 6LACK having a conversation with his daughter and the audience about his growth leading up to this release, while also emphasizing the eagerness from fans about his new music.

On the outro, someone states “but either way, Ricardo, I need some more music, cause the music is awesome and your fans are starvin, so feed us,” telling 6LACK, whose real name is Ricardo, to unleash what he has in the vault for his loyal fan base.

“Inwood Hill Park” follows “cold feet” and is a more upbeat track compared to the opener. It focuses on how love may not be a “walk in the park,” signaling that the best versions of love take time to bloom.

One line sticks out at the start of his second verse, when 6LACK says “colors startin’ to feel real vibrant, remember it was all black and white,” referring not only to the transition from his project to now, but also to the woman on his mind and how she may have transformed his viewpoint on the world.

The days have blended together for him into weeks, as the idea of marriage scatters his mind and is contemplated over his bouncy, confident track with “Inwood Hill Park.”

Track four, “playin house,” is a really interesting listen, discussing the transition in lifestyle from living with your significant other and playing a huge role in each others lives to split communication and pondering about the past.

The chorus “no more playin’ house, no more thinkin’ ‘bout livin’ together, just worry about doin’ better now,” emphasizes the importance on well-being and controlling emotions rather than conversations that have gone in no direction.

“Spirited Away” gives off a lot more of the transcendent, lo-fi aspects of this project, with an acoustic strum and reverb making up a great instrumental.

6LACK dives into reflection as he explores his face-to-face encounters with his demons, ego and himself. He looks to change himself after learning through his past relationship mistakes.

In a collaboration with Don Toliver, the thematic scheme of “Temporary” is centered around the idea that pain and love pain be temporary for some, yet this instance following a breakup isn’t. Don’s ending to the chorus, “most feels are temporary, this time it’s not, this time, I can’t give you,” goes in on the one that got away and displays the different sensation felt when they leave compared to the past.

6LACK’s first verse has him “carry the weight” and “ignore the pain,” something that he has not yet experienced in his journey, and something that is trying to be neglected.

Toliver’s hook paired with 6LACK’s solo verses provide for one of the better songs on the album, and marks as the first collaboration between the two artists, with hopefully more and more to come in the future.

“Stories In Motion” holds the hidden feature from Wale and includes more of the rap side of 6LACK in relation to his past works. Wale touches on his lack of confidence, saying “unfortunately, this is my cold era, I lack the emotion that’s important to worthy women.”

Lack of emotion and wanting to clean up past mistakes fall throughout the song. It’s an anthem surrounding the three words “I had enough,” signaling the distaste towards the constant negative thoughts running through their minds.

Published on March 29, 2023 at 12:21 am