Col3trane Explores the Kaleidoscopic Nature of Love in Debut Album 'Lush Life'
To live a luscious life is to live one drenched in love, heartbreak, and all the bittersweetness in between, and Col3trane's debut album Lush Life takes you on a sonic journey through the most dizzying and electrifying bits of it.
Don't let the debut mislead you - Col3trane certainly isn't a name unfamiliar to us. The London native has established himself in the industry, which if anything only adds to the pressure of this release. Chartering an entire R&B subgenre, we've seen him shine in collaborations, mixtapes, singles, and even in the background for other artists. So who is he on an album that's concisely his?
He's his most empowered. There's a grounded sense of confidence he emits, showcasing to the world what playing as you go and taking your time to build yourself as an artist will bring, rather than rushing to produce while there are enough eyes on you. Devoted to musicality and staying loyal to his UK affiliates, Lush Life also features production from J Moon, giving us a sound that's crisp and atmospheric.
"Californication" is the tenderness of a new love, "Reckless" is the enticement of an alluring love, while "Plus Minus" is the bone chill of a love lost. This project embodies the truth that love can disguise itself as both rancid and delicious, sometimes all within the same bite.
“My Lush Life tells a story of loving until something hurts. How love can feel like pure ecstasy, can make you feel invincible, like a beautiful flower in full bloom. But in reality, even the brightest lights cast a dark shadow, and flowers wilt and die without care and nurture. They end up ugly, a broken image of what they once were," shares Col3trane.
Its polarities are brought into physicality through varying forms, moving from emotive tracks to more upbeat, while never abandoning the vein of Col3trane's signature sound. There's an essence to his art that is specifically his, impossible to be duplicated and tracing all the way back to his earliest mixtapes.
There's still fun to be had, with the single "Logan Paul" perfectly suited for the summertime. As the title may indicate, this track explores the shallow vanity of Los Angeles living and its accompanying isolation, yet remains light and bouncy with Col3trane's airy vocals. It mirrors the very experience the song explores: choosing to feel alone in a room full of hot people rather than loved in a forgettable town.
The project is no solo feat, enlisting acts like Grammy award - winning Lucky Daye and Brooklyn legends Flatbush Zombies. "Plus Minus" also features a verse from Erick the Architect, though this isn't he and Col3trane's first collaboration, and as expected, their chemistry is just as palpable this time around.
As far as debuts go, Lush Life is made of steel. If you were a Col3trane fan, prepare to fall in an even deeper appreciation for the artist. And if you weren't a Col3trane fan, just assume you are now.
Listen to Lush Life below:
