“Love is a Luxury” Langston Bleu’s Love Letter to R&B

As we get ready for Valentine’s Day, I want to take time to show appreciate to one of my favorite R&B releases in the past year: Atlanta’s very own Langston Bleu with his debut tape - Love is a Luxury. This is music only the real lovers would understand. A holy matrimony of 90’s new wave, house fusion, urban pop and even reggaeton to celebrate the love of R&B. Seeing Bleu in action during the curation of this project was a testament to how artists still believe in delivering bodies of art that are not just meant to be heard but to be felt.

Luxury was such a strong leading single - giving a homage to his Atlanta roots by interpolating Dem Franchise Boyz’ “Oh I Think They Like Me” into the hook. The song quickly caught the attention of listeners, leading up to DJ Ebro giving his praise for the refreshing track. My personal favorite is Brown Suga Mama. Such a thick, syrupy serving of yearning paired with a sultry guitar solo. Atlanta’s Deante Hitchcock makes a guest appearance on the upbeat, flirtatious Swerve. Obsession is that sensual slow whine track for the passionate lovers. The synth-heavy Limousine gives the right amount of player vibes while riding around with your boo.

Langston has shared how this project came together with his music community, noting the contributions of manager Madison Wright with artistic creation direction, A.Chic on vocal features, and country artist Brittany Spencer who assisted on the tape’s songwriting. Receiving critical acclaim for this outstanding debut, I cannot wait to see what Langston brings to the world of R&B for 2025. For this upcoming holiday, make sure you put Love is a Luxury on the playlist that you plan on sending your special someone.