On June 12, 2020, sister duo Chloe x Halle dropped their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour. It was originally scheduled to be released on June 5; but with the massive amounts of Black Lives Matter protests going on in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Chloe x Halle did not want to take attention away from racial injustice.
On June 12th, everybody finally got to hear what Chloe x Halle have been cooking up. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly described it as “undeniably pretty: stacked with the kind of clean harmonies and gently syncopated R&B that doesn’t so much demand ear space as sidle up to it, unassumingly.” Olivia Luchini of Popsugar stated that the duo “proved for what seems like the millionth time that they are absolutely golden.” Julyssa Lopez of The New Yorker stated that it is “a seamless maturation into complex R&B that’s as skillful as it is endlessly listenable.”
“Do It” is a song that makes you want to get on your feet and dance. It’s all about self-empowerment, which is evident in lyrics such as “And tonight we on a hundred/One hundred/No drama, no baby mamas, just keeping it cute” and “Tiptoe ‘round a hater, I’m light on my feet/That’s how you do it, keep stuntin’ on your enemies/Good vibes only.” It’s a great song to listen to when you’re getting ready to go out.
“Busy Boy” has an upbeat, mellow tone, which I find helps the listeners capture the story of a cheating boyfriend. Chloe x Halle perfectly evoke how they aren’t ones to be played with through lyrics such as “And by the way/I think I just stumbled on your girlfriend’s page/Congratulations/She saying that the baby coming any day.”
My favorite, “Wonder What She Thinks Of Me,” has the pensive and calming sound that reminds me of The Kids Are Alright. Even though it’s reminiscent of that album, it still has a new and powerful message. Halle Bailey told Apple Music that “Wonder What She Thinks Of Me” is based on a real-life experience. “There was this amazing guy who’s so sweet, and it just talks about this bond that you have with somebody and how this person came out of nowhere. And then all of a sudden, you kind of find yourself wanting that person, but they’re in a situation and you’re in a situation, and you don’t want to seem like you’re taking this girl’s man.” This is so evident in the lyrics such as “I wonder what she thinks of me/ When you stay awake/ After you make love to her, and I’m still on your brain.” It’s a very emotional song that hits you in your feelings.
All the songs on the album are spectacular and I wish I could talk about each of them. But it would be better for you to be surprised by the beauty inside of them. I hope you go listen to this album. Be sure to also check out their first album, The Kids Are Alright, so you can get a sense of Chloe x Halle’s growth, evolution, and maturation from their first album to their latest one.