Rating: NNN
When Usher released the sparse, Diplo-produced breakup ballad Climax earlier this year, it was the pop heartthrob’s first curveball in a long time. You couldn’t help but wonder if the spacey sounds of upstart R&B acts like the Weeknd and Miguel – who value emotional atmospherics over singalong hooks – were having a trickle-up effect.
Not all of Looking 4 Myself is as adventurous as Climax’s balls-in falsetto, nor is it the revolution its creator has been touting in the press. But refreshingly, it’s more about sound quality and songwriting than the calculated brand-building of his recent releases. It also marks a break from his go-to collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in favour of Diplo, Toronto’s Noah “40” Shebib and Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele.
Aside from Climax, standouts to prioritize on your Usher playlist include club makeout jam Lemme See featuring Rick Ross, Biggie-sampling slow burner What Happened To U, feel-good summer banger Show Me and noirish Sins Of My Father.
Top track: Climax
