|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
R&B sensation Joe Lington is setting the stage for an exciting musical journey with the release of his EP “WTPA.” This trio of tracks serves as the perfect appetizer for what’s to come in 2024 with the release of his album, “Pinkteen,” which will feature these three songs. Merging French and English, the album embodies the essence of R&B with a nostalgic touch, featuring crystal-clear instrumental mixing and driving bass lines that resonate throughout.
“WTPA” captivates listeners with its minimal production, reminiscent of Jermaine Dupri’s iconic work, allowing Joe Lington’s layered vocals to shine and take center stage in each track. The EP starts with the track, “WTPA,” creating immediate tension with strings before immersing the audience in a 00s-era R&B groove. Standing for “Where the Party At,” the track pays homage to that era. Joe Lington is joined by the sultry vocals of Isabel Izzy, who adds an extra layer of allure to the track. The song effortlessly transitions between French and English, with Joe Lington’s vocal prowess shining, especially when he effortlessly reaches into his falsetto range.
This brings us to “Pinkeen.” According to Lington, a Pinkeen is “a woman who repeats the same pattern over and over in all of her relationships until she realizes that she needs to do some therapy in order to break those habits because she destroyed all her partners each time.” Heavy stuff. With this track, we get the soul side of Lington’s R&B influences, with a choral background in a call and response with the lead, not to mention the “heys” and “hos” reminiscent of Kris Kross’s “Jump.” With a buzzy lead bass, the track is more of a vocal riff and interlude, clocking in at just over a minute long, and again showcases Lington slipping around his falsetto in a very Prince-like fashion. We definitely think this one needs an extended cut, especially since Lington is introducing new slang vocabulary. We’d love for Lington to take a page from TLC and like they did with “Scrubs”, teach us all about the ins and outs of how a “pinkeen” lives their life.
Finally, we get the album closer to “Hypocrisy”, which is definitely giving us vibes of “You Should Let Me Love You” by Mario mixed with some Ciara “Promise” and a touch of “My Love” by Justin Timberlake. Slipping back into French, Lington is now fully getting his falsetto on, which at times harkens to Prince, and other times more Maxwell. It’s another clean production with probably the best vocal mix of the three. The backgrounds sit nicely in the support position. With three solid tracks, we look forward to what Lington serves up in his forthcoming LP.