We Move

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The third full-length studio outing from the Irish singer/songwriter, We Move finds James Vincent McMorrow transitioning from bucolic balladeer to minimalist R&B bard, once again tapping the engineering skills of award-winning, Toronto-based producers Nineteen85 and Frank Dukes. While not a huge sonic sea change, We Move definitely doubles down on the electronic elements that his co-producers helped usher in on 2014's aptly named Post-Tropical. Opener and lead single "Rising Water," a politely propulsive bit of alt-R&B-infused Scandinavian-style synth-pop, distills this newfound voltaic temperament, which invokes names like Drake, Bon Iver, and Sam Smith, into something far less icy than its sonic trappings would suggest. This holds true for the remaining nine tracks, especially on standouts like "Get Low" and "Evil." The warmth of the beats and the tasteful melodic arrangements are perfectly suited to McMorrow's soulful, blue-eyed delivery, and the occasional stylistic detours and offbeat turns of phrase make for welcome deviations from the formula.

© James Christopher Monger /TiVo