SNOH AALEGRA - SITUASHIONSHIP

Persian R&B singer Snoh Aalegra explores the confusion of modern love on "Situationship," in anticipation of her upcoming new album!

Modern life is confusing, uncertain, unstable. To say that this is reflected in the way we love is an understatement. How does one feel certain about someone when we're so busy, constantly being pulled in a thousand different directions at the same time, just to stay alive? What does forever look like when we have to move every few years, whether for school, career, or just due to rising rents? How does one know someone's "the one" when there are thousands, if not millions, of potential partners out there, just waiting to be met? At the end of the day, you've got to trust your heart and your guts if you want to cut through the FOMO. You've got to defy the odds, put yourself out there, and be really vulnerable with somebody, even if we risk getting hurt.

SNOH AALEGRA - SITUASHIONSHIP

This is the dichotomy explored by rising Persian r&b singer Snoh Aalegra on "Situationship." Urban Dictionary defines a "situationship" as "a relationship with no labels on it." Despite the lack of labels, Aalegra seems to have caught some feels for someone, enough to be willing to navigate the minefield of modern love and its confusions, including her own.

"Situationship" finds Aalegra working in lo-fi hip-hop mode, dusted beats and cosmic jazz samples, Alice Coltrane harp riffs and Temptations-style horns punctuating her warm, woozy vocals, telling her late-night tales of seduction and heartbreak.

It's a good look/sound for Aalegra.

Some of the gripes leveled at Aalegra's breakthrough debut album, Feels, is that it felt unnecessarily retro, perhaps relying too heavily on the 80s synthetic soul/funk of Prince, an early Snoh Aalegra endorser. She's clearly looking to set the record straight on her upcoming new album, as "Situationship" sounds utterly contemporary while still having that retro soft-focus glow that makes her music so addictive.

"Situationship" sounds like someone heartbrokenly singing over a lo-fi hip-hop study playlist - and that's a good thing! That's certainly a feeling that most if not all of us can relate to, here in 2019. Heartache, loneliness, excitement, alienation, all rolled up with an attractive satin ribbon.

"Situationship" is the most recent single from her upcoming new album, Ugh, Those Feels Again, a logical continuation of "Still Want You Around," released a few weeks ago. Given the title, it seems Aalegra's not totally redefining herself, instead, refining and continuing to explore themes and emotions from her debut.

Snoh Aalegra is a distinctive voice in the world of modern r&b/soul, blending Flying Lotus-style future beats with Solange-style artfulness and emotionality. Combine that with some of the most silken vocals this side of Sade, and we've got a major new talent on our hands!

Ugh, Those Feels Again is out on 8.16.