Loren Oden might not be a name you know yet, but there is a good chance you’ve heard him sing with someone else. That’s because the Compton native has put in the work over the years, singing backup for everyone from Chaka Khan to Erykah Badu, before linking up with Adrian Younge. He’s been part of Younge projects like Something About April, Luke Cage, and The Midnight Hour. Now he’s finally recording his debut solo album, my heart, my love.

As you get into the album, there are certainly all the fingerprints on this album that will be familiar to fans of Adrian Younge over the years, from the analogue recording techniques to the orchestral and jazz instrumentation to general arrangement. The main difference is that Oden is stepping into the spotlight as lead singer and songwriter. As a vocalist, he’s got a really nice and clean tone, and great control of his pitch as well. He floats in his higher register and falsetto with a gentle ease for much of the album, which pairs well with the symphonic soul being laid down by the Linear Lab players. There’s really a lot to like about this album, and overall it’s a nice listen. The only real thing that’s holding it back is that there is a lack of memorable hooks and standout moments that will really stay with you once the album is over. my heart, my love is a pretty album, and there’s nothing bad about it, but it never really builds to or reaches that next level, where you move from “this guy is pretty good” to “Oh wow! Who is this!?” The good news is that Oden is light years ahead of other artists putting out their debut albums in terms of experience in the studio and access to quality musicianship. He just needs to push himself and dig deep and force himself outside of his comfort zone a little to reach that next level.

my heart, my love is a solid debut album from Loren Oden. It’s a really pretty collection of symphonic soul that will set the foundation for what he does next well. Hopefully, he’ll continue to push himself and get to that next level.