- On the eve of his twenty-first birthday, Steve Lacy has released his highly anticipated debut album, Apollo XXI. Purportedly recorded in Steve’s sister's bedroom after she went away to college, the LP is Lacy’s coming of age laid bare. For someone so young he has already proven himself to be a talent – playing and writing as part of the Grammy nominated group The Internet, as well as working with Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Solange, Blood Orange, and recently Vampire Weekend.
In its essence the album is an odyssey of psychedelic soul and r'n'b. Opener Only If is a breezy song that sets the mood. Things get interesting with the proggy Like Me, an intriguing, nine-minute epic. In it he addresses his own journey and his bisexuality (he identifies as queer). It’s a great track that moves through various sections and atmospheres.
I love Guide, with its bouncing bass line and Lacy showing off his impressive falsetto. He busts out some rap on Basement Jack and Outro Freestyle which is an interesting development. That freestyle is closed out with a coda called 4ever, which features Lacy’s mother and sisters' vocals (it was also sampled for the Solange track Exit Scott Interlude). Speaking of which, Amandla’s Interlude is another interesting departure, being an entirely acoustic piece with guitar and violin. At the beginning of the song Lacy's collaborator remarks, “We really just wrote that together with, like, minimal effort”. The charming simplicity that follows reflects that in the best way.
According to Steve, "It’s basically my journey, my sexuality. But in a very fun and witty way, it’s not really that serious, it’s not super sad. I think it’s my journey, it’s an expression of how I feel right now”. Apollo XXI is a smooth set of tracks that will please Internet and Lacy fans alike, I suspect. When it comes down to it, a good portion of these songs have the three crucial elements – vocals, bass and rhythm, all in perfect measure. A less is more coming of age album.
- Hillfolk.