In a time where music is starting to all sound the same and musical identities are being lost within the industry, artist Elijah Blake makes the bold move to avoid those trends, reaching for something more organic in his sophomore album, “Audiology.” Released August 25, 2017, this album encompasses contemporary r&b by combining rhythm and blues, pop, soul, funk, electronic beats and the occasional saxophone to give it a jazz feel.
“Audiology” symbolizes freedom and freeing yourself of any physical or mental baggage you may be carrying around. Through this album, listeners are reassured that it’s okay to feel emotions and have the courage to talk about them. Especially within the black community, since there’s a huge stigma placed on openly sharing your feelings or any traumatic experiences you may have faced.
Once Blake pulled away from Def Jam Recordings and became a solo artist, he made it his personal goal to be as transparent as possible through every song. In the album’s last song, entitled “Momma Knows,” Blake talks about being molested as a child and how he has worked to come to terms with that situation. With every word sung, this album draws the listener into Blake’s personal journey and expresses what music sounds like when it’s not being “dressed up” by the industry.
