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Photo: Willem Verbeeck

A psychedelic ride through wonder and '80s groove, Q takes notes from mainstream-defying artists like George Michael, Lenny Kravitz, and Seal, infusing his latest project, Soul, PRESENT, with a healthy dose of futurism and soultronic deliciousness.

The opening track “WELCOME TO SOUL,PRESENT” begs to let go of the worry of tomorrow, which seems to be the grounding premise of the album. What does life taste like when you allow yourself to witness it in real-time? To process as you go, to shed as you grow, and to follow what feels right until that shape shifts along with you?

Intergalactic and deeply personal, Soul, PRESENT gives Q the chance to be both lightyears away yet naked and intimate. Alongside the album announcement, he shares on instagram “Life was lived honestly to make this project happen. A lot of lonely times. I loved it, I disliked it. Through it all, the truth was there.” It’s the most tangible and vital ingredient to a project this funky: raw, untreated life bravely lived.

“LUV (I KNOW I WANT THIS FOR REAL)” is a standout, a euphoric dance track that declares the relief of surrendering to love and its accompanying risk. “THE HIDE” is boogie embodied, urging your bones to jump out of your body. Contrasted by slowing down the ride and tasting chardonnay, “UNDERSTAND” features R&B songstress Baby Rose, set to be his tour mate as they embark on their 'Through the Soul North American Tour' later this May.

While his vessel may have only been here 23 years, Q’s soul has survived many millennia. The permission he’s given himself to experiment, to swim against the current, and to produce something someone of any taste palette can be awed by is a rare occasion. With deeply intricate production, there is purpose in every note of this project. If you are alive, Soul, PRESENT will make you feel something.

Listen to Soul,PRESENT below: