Ravyn Lenae’s third studio album, Blue Island, seeks to redefine the boundaries of R&B through an innovative blend of genres, resulting in an engaging and progressive body of work.
I often find that R&B is one of the most misunderstood genres, or at least it is in the UK. For so many people, it has become a catch-all for Black artists, ignoring the nuances of the genre and the idiosyncrasies that formulate it. Ravyn Lenae’s third album, Blue Island, feels cognisant of this conversation, and seeks to step outside of it. The project is a genre-bending experience that sees us witness Lenae present a fusion of sounds which culminate in a dynamic and experimental album. I found myself at numerous points as I listened, feeling excited to hear her perspectives and her tenderness on Blue Island; it is an album that promises to further her rising star. Set to continue a run of festivals this summer, including a slot at London’s All Points East, this injection of new material to her already respectable catalogue promises to provide tracks that will be best experienced live.
What should R&B sound like?
The album opens with Handle, a song that feels like a central thesis for the rest of the project. With a flavour of New Wave, it is experimental and bold. Of the album, Lenae has stated that she wanted to challenge the boundaries of Pop and R&B, poking at the idea of what both genres ‘should’ sound like. Handle is an effective way of introducing this idea. Of note is the guitar riff that makes the track feel lush. The album continues to oscillate through different sounds and motifs, something that could make it feel disjointed or messy, but Lenae manages to level her influences well, avoiding a sense that she is throwing everything and the kitchen sink at her work – rather, she seasons each track with care and precision.
Handle is also one of several songs on the album that have a clear Rock influence. Lenae’s voice is supported by driving production that provides an edge to what she is singing. Rock in predominantly R&B work is nothing new; other artists like SZA, Rihanna, and Leigh-Anne have utilised it to round out their sound, but Lenae uses it in a way that has a Seattle-esque grungy quality that suits her well. I think this is well displayed on Blue Island, giving weight to her idea about playing with the boundaries of genre. It often feels subtle, but impactful.
Additionally, I noticed that there are some impressions of Reggae on Blue Island; perhaps despite being far from the predominant sound, this is what gives the album title its base. The island influence is particularly notable on tracks like Familiar Dreams, Never Let Me Go, and Bobby. As a woman of Panamanian descent, Reggae is a part of Lenae’s artistic heritage – for those who don’t know, it was Jamaican labourers in Panama who introduced Reggae to Latin America and spawned Reggaeton. I would not want to overstate this sound as a major player on Blue Island, but it is certainly there. As a fan of fusion, it was enjoyable to hear Lenae’s ability to provide a layered approach to genre blending, showcasing her music as a symphony rather than a crescendo. Perhaps because of the imagery that the title sums up in one’s mind, I can’t help but feel like Blue Island is an inherently summery album. As I listened to each song, I found myself wanting to have an Aperol Spritz in hand as I blasted out the album on a beach somewhere. It is an album that evokes at numerous points sunny afternoons with your mates; Franky, that is one of its greatest strengths.
Intimacy and emotionality
Lenae’s truest gift is her vocal delivery; she sounds confident and controlled on Blue Island, delivering complex runs that do not feel forced. It is an album that feels like it has been constructed to showcase her talents as a vocalist centrally. I think that, in particular, her voice on Reputation, Barriers, and Find It One Day is exceptional. One thing that I especially appreciate is that her vocal choices feel idiosyncratic; she is not trying to sound in line with her peers, but instead she sounds unique. If I had to sum her vocals up in one word, it would be refreshing.
Another key strength of hers is the sensitivity of her delivery. Lenae explores several different emotional states of mind on Blue Island; there are moments she feels joyful and youthful, at other points romantic and sensual, and at others reflective and mature. Her versatility makes for an album that is dynamic and always keeps you guessing where she will take you next. I think that perhaps her ability to be sensual and tender is her greatest strength, though. Barriers, Familiar Dreams, Potential, and Reputation (more on this later) show us an artist who is able to make music that feels intimate and mature, without ever feeling overt or inauthentic. These are tracks that belong on any bedroom playlist, but could just as easily score a dinner party. That is something that a lot of artists really struggle to emulate, reminding me of songs of the past like Rocket by Beyoncé or Smooth Operator by Sade.
I actually think that Barriers may be my personal favourite song on Blue Island. It is a more stripped back song, with more minimalistic production – this allows Ravyn’s voice to really shine. Shine it does. The lyrics further the sensuality that this song exudes, creating a piece of music that is very sophisticated in how it approaches the topic of intimacy. The use of selective vocal layering only makes the impact greater. I highly recommend this as a track to pay specific attention to as you listen to Blue Island.
Chemistry and connection
Ravyn’s ability to emote effectively is maybe even better shown through Reputation, her duet with Dominic Fike (perhaps best known for his role on Euphoria). Fike and Lenae sing of a relationship that is intense and loving, but that has distrust and uncertainty bubbling just under the surface. They have real chemistry on Reputation, perhaps most notable on the bridge of the song where Fike takes the lead while Lenae adds the foundation with her harmonising vocals. The lyrics are probably the strongest on Blue Island, and the dynamic that they speak to is one that is more nuanced than many songs that aim to speak to a similar kind of relationship. Lenae doesn’t sound spiteful but rather tender and loving, perhaps displaying how easy it is to be blinded by your feelings for someone when it is known that they will ultimately bring you dishonesty. That is a complexity that makes Reputation engaging. It is a highlight on Blue Island, giving the mid-section of the album a grounded quality.
The album’s second collaboration is Babygirl, featuring Doechii. As a certified Doechii fan, I was excited to hear her on a Lenae song. They complement each other well; Lenae delivers her usual silky vocals over a midtempo beat. She sets the tone well for Doechii to come in and absolutely cook on her verse. For a long time now, she has felt like the most engaging woman in rap, making a feature with Lenae a very on-brand move – given the central idea of Blue Island to be to play with the genre of R&B, and Doechii largely redefining what it is to be a woman in rap’s mainstream. Just as with the duet with Fike, Babygirl is a highlight of the album.
Blue Island, the experimental
Ravyn Lenae has been steadily breaking through to the centre of the R&B conversation for a while now, and this album feels like her way of harnessing that momentum to challenge herself creatively. The album has a few key takeaways for me; one is that it is a decidedly experimental and expansive project. Apart from the aforementioned flavours she introduces, there are also points like on Saturday Night where I could hear influence from Scandipop, sounding slightly evocative of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own in its production, and some hints of Whitney Houston-esque 90s R&B on the production and instrumentation for Find It One Day. She is an artist that you can tell loves a wide range of music, and knows how to blend her favourite sounds together in a way that feels unique and personal.
Blue Island closes with Let Us In; it is a bombastic and exciting way to end the album. The song has elements of distorted and brash production that promise further innovation and experimentation in the future from Lenae; this then gives way to more direct dance pop production midway through. I think that it closes the album well because it feels like a song that is as fun as it is progressive. Blue Island at its core is an album that wants to be enjoyable but uncompromising in its ability to challenge the conventions of genre. Increasingly, the best projects in all areas of music are ones that are unafraid to be bold in how they utilise sounds and motifs for their own gain, rather than fearing the naysayers who would rather keep the lines clean and defined.
Check out Blue Island here:
