6lack Since I Have A Lover

What happens when the world-weary crooner finds catharsis? After spending years in the wastelands of fractured romance and music-industry disillusionment, 6LACK, born Ricardo Valentine, delivered an answer with Since I Have A Lover. Released five years after his previous full-length effort, East Atlanta Love Letter, Since I Have A Lover is the end result of transformative therapy sessions and deep self-analysis. The Endel Sleep Soundscape edition melts selections from the original LP into ambient soundscapes. The new arrangement plays out like a tranquil meditation—a muted atmosphere for deep sleep and restoration. Here, the spare distortion of “playin house” morphs into an engrossing vapour; the emotive keys slow to the speed of a prolonged heartbeat, with each strike landing as an exhale. Extending over three parts, the revision only reinforces the original tone. The vibes shift on “Since I Have A Lover.” Upbeat becomes colourful relaxation. Bright electric guitar flares fade into something misty. 6LACK’s subdued vocals peek out from the cloudy haze like desert morning sunshine. Calm yet hopeful, it’s a theme song for renewal. The reimagining continues with tracks like “wunna dem”, a lover’s ode to mutual affection. On the original track, 6LACK and his love interest, QUIN, serve up a blissful harmony that evokes obsession; their disembodied pledges to one another melt into an orchestral sound bed. On the new version, their vocals, along with the lithe strings of the original, phase into an astral plane. It’s foggy without being disorienting. Stripping Since I Have A Lover down to its thematic essence, the soundscape edition creates impressionistic iterations of offerings from the LP, turning lyrics and sounds into sensations. Those feelings are enough to set anyone adrift. Viscous yet translucent, mesmerising but bare, it’s an album that doesn’t leave room to escape the ambiance, making it the perfect soundtrack to surrender to.