Written by: Oliver Heffron
Over the past decade, French soul artist Ben l’Oncle Soul has been cementing himself as a global icon, releasing six acclaimed studio albums, garnering over 300 million streams, and performing at renowned festivals like Glastonbury, Montreux Jazz, and North Sea Jazz. Still, the multi-platinum singer doesn’t stop improving, honing his sound and musical identity, and it feels like he’s just reaching his apex.
Ben l’Oncle Soul’s new album, SAD GENERATION, released via Enchanté and Believe, builds from a core of classic soul and blues songwriting with layers of psychedelic funk and modern production, and lyrics that touch the contemporary heart. It’s an instant classic that feels timeless. In a recent interview with NUANCE, l’Oncle Soul shares, “I think the album is a really good picture of who I am today; it’s really me. It’s a really good balance of new and old, and it’s my best album, forsure.”
The opener, “DØNT WANNA FALL,” introduces the album's hypnotic flow and creative approach with a swaying, mellow R&B groove of longing vocals and mesmerizing layers of production before a funky beatswitch on the track’s back end. Lead single “I GØT HOME” sees l’Oncle Soul tap into his love for Motown with a soulful melody over a steady bassline, while “THE WALLS” mixes a reggae rhythm with haunting melodies to sublime results.
On the shimmering guitars and dusty percussion of “HARD TO DØ,” l’Oncle Soul delivers the project’s most infectious hook before singer Kaylan Arnold nearly steals the show with an excellent feature. “NEW PLACE” sees the French singer impressively anchor a laid-back, yet cinematic instrumental that mixes R&B with psychedelic funk influences, like if Frank Ocean had an interlude on a Parliament album.
“BY YØUR SIDE” displays the French artist’s gift for crafting timeless soul records, as his voice grows with the layers of instrumentation to a triumphant finish. The hip-shaking ode to infatuation, “EVERYTHING BØUT YA,” modernizes old-school soul songwriting talents with modern flourishes of dissonant guitar distortion. Teaming up with Brooklyn-based soul sensation Adi Oasis, “IM GØOD” poignantly critiques the value of social media validation, while “F*CK WHAT U WANT” defiantly breaks free of toxicity over catchy synth plucks.
Never taking a second for granted, the album rewards the listener with beautiful outros, interludes, intricate production details, and an overall sonic cohesion despite exploring different influences and sounds. While Ben L’Oncle Soul was already a well-respected and highly-acclaimed artist before, SAD GENERATION cements his status as an international soul powerhouse and masterful songwriter.