Joe Lington’s latest album is a neat mix of R&B, afrobeat, and dance cuts that all, without exception, drip with one or another flavor. Going from Childish Gambino to Santana, to Marvin Gaye then to Bruno, remaining Joe Lington throughout, Black Desire is an invaluable collection of songs crafted with extreme love and care.
An exceptionally easy and fluid record, Black Desire, from Cork, Ireland-based Joe Lington, a singer who sings in English, French, and Cameroonian. His sound can be distinguished by his minimal approach to instrumentation and his favoring of layering vocals, often resulting in choir-like ambiances with punchy trap beats. A mix that sounds fresh and is well executed by Lington and his team.
A case in point would be the album’s title cut. ‘Black Desire’ is an almost-acapella piece with Lington delivering some spoken wisdom with a distinctive accent as his vocals are layered in the background, next to Lington’s sensual ad-libs and a jittering, puffy beat. ‘It’s Gonna Be Alright’ sees Lington firing his falsetto in full swing, along with some incredibly immersive flows of French rap. I don’t understand the language, but the energy is quite infectious with the slow but sure beat and the smooth, reassuring English vocals. ‘Mamacita’ follows with some succulent Latin dance. Rich and lush, yet minimal and simple in its core, ‘Mamacita’ is graceful, yet sizzling. ‘Ce Soir’ is another endlessly smooth cut of soulful R&B. The sparkling, swooning guitar lines, the reaffirming beat, and the soulful vocals all combine to create a piece of momentous soul. Following it is the sleazy riff of ‘I Can’t See You’, backed with charming group chants and Lington’s distinctive delivery of crooning falsetto lines, creating another infectious atmosphere.
After a closer of a stunning piece of minimalist soul, ‘Because of You’ and its sparkling Rhodes, and the slightly rowdy ‘On Dance’, the album finishes after lasting a little less than half an hour. Too short if you ask me. During that time Lington proved time and time again that he’s fully capable of weaving an immaculate atmosphere with the fewest of elements. A relaxed songwriter who is definitely not phased by leaving a space in his songs to breathe. The results are outstanding, colorful, and very unique.