After a half-decade-long dry spell, 6LACK returns with his highly anticipated third studio album, “Since I Have a Lover.” Known for his introspective and moody R&B sound, 6LACK does not disappoint with this latest offering. With 19 tracks spanning just under an hour, “Since I Have a Lover” is a cohesive and well-crafted album that showcases 6LACK’s growth as an artist and songwriter. He has heightened his mind with the truest understanding of love and self-exploration. In so, taking this time away from the spotlight truly gives us an elevated and exuberant collection of songs.

The album starts strong with the opening track “cold feet,” which sets the tone for the rest of the project. The song shuffles through several recorded messages: the first being what seems to be a fan doing a spoken letter to the artist, Ricardo Valentine also known as 6LACK, explaining how she needs new music immediately. The track then stutters and switches to a conversation between 6LACK and his daughter about “being someone.” It then repeats back to the fan letter in which she ends by saying, “…and your fans are starving, so feed us.” 6LACK used these recordings to show the growing pressure he faced from fans and the media to release a new project whilst on his leave.

Facing this pressure can cause fear or even getting “cold feet” when it comes to producing the new project since there were many years in between there is always the uncertainty of living up to expectations. 6LACK’s way of capturing the fear and the essence of pushing forward is absolutely phenomenal in this opening track.

From there, the album takes the listener on a journey through love, heartbreak, spirituality, and self-reflection. Tracks like “Talk” and “Talkback” showcase 6LACK’s vulnerability as he writes about how he struggled with mental health issues, leaving him to seek help through therapy and other resources. On the other hand, songs like “B4L” and “wunna dem” offer more upbeat and energetic moments, focusing on the way to incorporate love and joy into our lives to find our inner peace.

One of the standout tracks on the album is “Temporary,” which features guest vocals from hip-hop star, Don Toliver. The two artists complement each other perfectly, with Don Toliver’s unique and captivating vocals adding depth and harmony to the track. Another standout is “Inwood Hill Park” a hauntingly beautiful track focusing on self-development and forming a new lifestyle based on finding a newfound lover.

Throughout the album’s entirety, 6LACK’s lyrics are introspective and personal, exploring sensitive themes. He doesn’t shy away from culpability, often sharing his struggles and insecurities with the listener. This level of honesty and authenticity is what sets 6LACK apart from many of his peers in the R&B genre. Even within the album itself, he strays away from his usual ambient beats and moody tones and brings forth a sense of psychedelia into the sound.

Queuing in on buzzing acoustic guitars and lighter sounds, 6LACK truly reinvented himself and his entire sound on this new project, allowing us to view his craft from a new perspective than what was seen on “FREE 6LACK” and “East Atlanta Love Letter.” Almost as if the artist has allowed us to relive his journey of development one emotion at a time.

Overall, “Since I Have a Lover” is a strong and cohesive album that showcases 6LACK’s growth and change over the past five years and gives us way to view life in an way that uniquely and comfortably human . It’s groundbreaking and introspective sound makes it the perfect soundtrack for anyone going through mental health issues or a period of self-reflection. If you’re a fan of 6LACK’s previous work, this album is worth a listen.