Atlantic Records
Lenae’s breathy falsetto wields lightness like a superpower in this glimmering sonic galaxy of a debut album
In 2018, Chicago teenager Ravyn Lenae had released three exciting EPs where R&B met neo-soul, her exploratory melodies and harmonies at once playful and beguiling. But just as the hype was building, the singer-songwriter seemed to disappear.
Four years later, this dropping off the radar turned out to be time spent crafting her debut album, Hypnos. Taking its name from the ancient Greek personification of sleep, the record operates in a woozy, sultry, dreamlike space, with gleaming production overseen by Chicago drummer Luke Titus. The likes of Kaytranada, Phoelix and long-term collaborator Steve Lacy help build a glimmering sonic galaxy full of vibrating basslines and strings that ripple like silk sheets.