Chloe x Halle recently released their sophomore album, “Ungodly Hour”, which features a matured sound to their music. Chloe x Halle have emphasized their latest album represents their coming of age to adulthood and a freedom to express things in that territory. Let’s check out how their current sound proves this true.
Lyrics: B+
Tasty
Chloe x Halle have songwriting credits on every track of “Ungodly Hour”, and that’s a big contributor to the consistency of the album. Even when the tone of the tracks change, the persona of the songs feel familiar and flow well with the overall theme of the album.
Some lyric highlights of the album include:
“Lonely”
Who are you when no one’s watching?
You close the door to your apartment
Are you afraid of the silence?
Are you afraid of what you’ll find in it?
See our review of the track “Lonely” here.
“Ungodly Hour”
I don’t have the time
To teach you how to love all over again
And let me ask you this
Are you givin’ all that you could give?
Once you get it right
Baby, just know I want you here, come here
“Overwhelmed”
Pushed in the river, I swim
Nothing can blindside
Me like the high tide
I don’t do well under pressure
I don’t know it all
I wish I had all the answers
Fix it all myself
I feel overwhelmed
Not So Tasty
Outside of the highlights pointed out above, much of the lyrical content of “Ungodly Hour” never dives too far deeper than the surface. An advantage of this approach is that listeners will immediately understand the straightforward message, but there usually are not more layers to dive into beyond that.
The end result is an album where listeners understand the situations that Chloe x Halle find themselves in with others, but a lesser understanding of who they are themselves. “Ungodly Hour” provides a glimpse of that with “Overwhelmed” and “Lonely”, and hopefully Chloe x Halle will dive deeper into other personal themes going forward.
Production: B
Tasty
Chloe x Halle’s biggest strength is their vocal layering. Each singer has a distinctive tone, yet when they harmonize together it sounds perfect as if they shared the same voice. Their harmonies find their way onto every song at some point and it helps separate their sound from other RnB singers.
“Ungodly Hour” also benefits from an original sound in the RnB space. Even on their lead singles, “Do It” and “Forgive Me”, which incorporate trending elements in RnB, Chloe x Halle bring a unique take to the production that showcases their talents.
Not So Tasty
Even though “Ungodly Hour” is sonically consistent, it would have been nice to see more experimentation with the instrumentals or song production on the album. Part of this comes from Chloe x Halle’s reliance on their vocal layering to handle much of their song structures, but this limits their opportunities to experiment with the production.
Interestingly, the track “Wonder What She Thinks Of Me”, is one song on the album where Chloe x Halle finally strip away their dominant chorus harmonies and let a soft violin and guitar carry the production, and it feels refreshing simply because it adds some dynamic to the album.
Replayability: B+
The consistent sound on “Ungodly Hour” makes it an easy listen when jumping from track to track. And as shared before, the accessible lyrics makes the songs easy to digest and sing along to. The album features a healthy mix of mid-tempo songs that can fit the occasion for both dancing and reflection.
A more dynamic instrumentation would benefit the replayability of “Ungodly Hour”, as it makes venturing through the entire album more taxing with multiple listens.
Final Grade: B+
Chloe x Halle have delivered a cohesive album in “Ungodly Hour” that lets them debut a matured sound without losing their originality. While there are many highlights on the album, a level of personal introspection and vulnerability is only provided in a glimpse, which would have helped accompany the themes of heartbreak throughout the album. Nevertheless, we look forward to more projects by Chloe x Halle in the future to see how their songwriting and production continues to evolve.
Favorite Tracks: Forgive Me, Do It, Ungodly Hour, Lonely
Color Vibe: Burgundy
Season Vibe: Winter, Summer
Mood Vibe: Chill
Mocha Quality: B+
Tags: RnB
Watch Chloe x Halle perform “Do It” for the Today Show here.
