Langston Bleu - Love Is A Luxury (Album)

To love in the modern day is truly a luxury. You have to not only have the luxury to spend money on “baecations” worthy enough of IG posts, but have the luxury to spend time and emotional energy on someone. Langston Bleu conveys this idea throughout the dazzling 9 tracks of “Love Is A Luxury”. 

Langston opens the album with his single “Fools Gold”, setting a theme for the strong vocals (and the message) you will hear throughout. Bleu belts “This that cubic zirconia plastic/ love ain’t what it seems”; This is the first of many times Bleu compares romantic endeavors to the trappings of luxury. 

Bleu immediately pivots from this Lucky Daye-esque R&B track into “Limousine”, a dark, sultry hip-hop banger. Langston rhymes about making love in a limousine over rumbling 808’s; the bridges with his pitched-down voice add an element reminiscent of Houston's “chopped n screwed” sound, adding to the late-night, lustful energy of the song. 

Bleu delivers an anthem to brown-skinned girls with “Brown Sugar Momma”, which is capped off by a powerful guitar solo. This slow ballad is perfect for the bedroom. 

Bleu brings out rapper Deante Hitchcock for a feature “Swerve”, a fun, upbeat track with warped synths that make you feel like you’re day partying in the summer. Hitchcock flows seamlessly between the guitar plucks and the pulsing synths of the instrumentals. He is a perfect pairing for Bleu. 

Bleu puts a ribbon on the project with “Luxury”, where he sings “If you really want a love/ You know its gon cost a fee” over the cinematic, yet funky instrumental. Love really is a luxury, and I’m glad Langston Bleu gave us a taste of it on this album.