Review

From the first note of Beloved, it's clear that Giveon has no interest in rushing. The Californian crooner, known for his distinct baritone and slow-burning R\&B balladry, returns with a record that feels both intimate and cinematic—a collection that cements his place in the pantheon of modern soul storytellers. There’s a mournful beauty that lingers across Beloved, a sense of weight and restraint that recalls the likes of Sampha or even a stripped-back Frank Ocean. But unlike his contemporaries, Giveon leans into stillness. His voice, rich and weathered beyond his years, stretches syllables into emotional microclimates, letting silence speak as loudly as strings or snares. The production here is sparse, deliberate. Tracks like "Try" and "Let Me Go" unfurl with the grace of late-night confessions, bathed in minimalist piano motifs and ghostly harmonies. There’s nothing ostentatious, nothing crowd-pleasing for the sake of it. Even when the tempo lifts slightly—as on "Borrowed Time"—Giveon resists the urge to fully break free, always keeping one foot in the realm of yearning. Lyrically, Beloved is steeped in the vocabulary of heartbreak, but there’s a maturity to how it’s handled. Rather than simply wallowing in loss, Giveon interrogates it. He questions his own intentions, the nature of connection, and the quiet ways love can dissolve. In a world addicted to immediacy, there's something quietly radical about an artist willing to dwell in the ache. Still, Beloved isn’t without its limitations. The uniform mood can at times verge on monochrome, and some listeners might long for a moment of levity or sonic experimentation. But to criticise the album for its cohesion is perhaps to miss the point. This is music for twilight hours, for headphones and reflection—not for the club or the commute. In the end, Beloved is a record that rewards patience. It’s Giveon at his most vulnerable and most assured, unspooling tales of love lost with the poise of an old soul and the precision of a true craftsman. A slow burn, yes—but a beautiful one.

Comments