Sensuous Chill

As 's first album of original material in five years -- he revisited the past on 2014's and recast as in 2012 -- doesn't feel rushed, nor does it feel lazy. At nearly 70 minutes, it does feel a little bit long but doesn't keep the 17 tracks treading water. Occasionally, he trades in placid surfaces, letting a slight Middle Eastern flair drift into view, but he often ratchets up the R&B beats while threading in spectral soul vocals straight out of , letting things glide into a full song and then slide away back to a realm that can only be identified by the title's claim. If the production and aesthetic of the record feel slightly out of date -- it feels like it could've been cut in the '90s -- there's also a charm to its traditionalism: knows what he does well and he does it proudly here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine