Grammy-nominated urban contemporary artist Khalid returns with a 21-minute project, ‘Suncity’ which is chocked-full of vibes if nothing else.  

Khalid had an incredible year in 2017 – understatement.  Not only did he secure a double-platinum debut album (American Teen), he also earned multiple Grammy nominations, not to mention collaborating with numerous musicians.  In 2018, his stock continued to rise, finding the 20-year old R&B musician on everybody’s track.  Adding to his list of achievements is his second project, a seven-song, 21-minute LP, Suncity.

“Vertigo”

Suncity commences with an intro, “9.13,” that features audio from Khalid earning the key to his hometown following his success.  It’s followed by the first full-length song, “Vertigo.” “Vertigo” shows off his distinct, expressive pipes (including falsetto), and definitely earns status as a ‘vibe’.  That said, it doesn’t necessarily scream ‘hit’, particularly compared to the songs that graced American Teen. Regardless, he’s being sincere, and the production is gorgeous and incredibly lush.

“Saturday Nights” picks up the pace some, but Khalid still remains chill, easy-going, and relaxed.  Much like “Vertigo” that precedes it, his voice shines above everything else.  “Saturday Nights” isn’t too shabby, benefiting from its rhythmic, cool melodic lines on the verse, not to mention a memorable chorus:

“All the things that I know

That your parents don’t

They don’t care like I do

Nowhere like I do.”

“Motion”

Following “Salem’s Interlude,” vibe continues to dominate on the breezy, fresh “Motion.”  As the chorus lyrics state, Khalid – specifically his voice – sounds like he’s “floatin’” on air.  If it hasn’t been emphasized enough, his tone is magnificent.  Arguably the crown jewel of Suncity is its promo single, “Better”.

“Better” is a romantic, sexy record. In addition to dope vocals, the production work is solid, comprised of slick, hip-hop/urban drum programming, warm piano, and synths. The resulting sound is nothing too crazy or ornate, but incredibly effective. Lyrically and thematically, “Better” centers around love. On the first verse, it’s about a supportive relationship of sorts, with potential benefits of course – “No one’s got to know, what we do, hit me up when you’re bored.” The chorus is simple, but effective:

“Nothing feels better than this

Nothing feels better…

We don’t gotta hide it, this is what you like, I’ll admit

Nothing feels better than this.”

On the second verse, it’s confirmed that Khalid’s ‘girlfriend’ isn’t confirming a relationship, despite the fact that ‘something’ is clearly going on between them. All in all, “Better” is a chill, pleasant, romantic, well-rounded urban contemporary record.

Suncity concludes, tapping the talents of Empress Of on the title track.  “Suncity,” set in a minor key, definitely earns honors as the grooviest joint from the album, incorporating elements of Latin music.  Khalid joins Empress Of singing Spanish on the pre-chorus and chorus sections.

“Llévame a ciudad de sol

Llévame, llévame

Donde dejé mi corazón

Llévame, llévame

Llévamelo.”

Final Thoughts 

So, how does Suncity stack up? It’s a respectable project by all means, but ultimately lacks distinction to make it truly great.  Khalid sounds beastly, and even does more unique things with his voice, but the material isn’t quite as compelling as the artist himself.

Khalid • Suncity • RCA • Release: 10.19.18

Photo Credit: RCA