Written and recorded over several years, Chi The Artist’s newest album, The Wonderful Life of Brother GoodLove, exclusively hit Bandcamp this past Friday, February 6th. It will see the full gamut of streaming services this coming Thursday, February 12th.
The Wonderful Life of Brother GoodLove is a soulful journey of eight tracks that unfold memoir-style to tell his tales of personal development and life lessons along the way.
Each song travels through the emotions of love, waiting, rebuilding, and “choosing softness in a hard world.” Based in the DC-Maryland area, Chi’s sound is inspired by a blend of soul, indie folk, Afro acoustic, and funk. He draws similarities to the “emotionality of Kele Okereke (Bloc Party), the rhythmic storytelling of Henri Dikongué, the melodic patience of Dave Matthews, and the introspective soul of Michael Kiwanuka.”
Kicking things off is “Anytime,” is a tune about continuing to show up in times of uncertainty. Its lyrics bring a sense of reassurance to listeners with lines like “Sometimes you play the game / But you don’t have the cards to win.”
His October single, “Leave a Light On,” is a slower burn and more emotional track that focuses heavily on finding your way into places of love and belonging throughout the journey of life. “If I’m not home before you lay your head / I’m on my way / I’m almost there / Leave the light on and I’ll find my way / I’ll find my way,” Chi croons.
Another standout track clocking in at number six is “To Be Loved By You,” a song of deep reflection, describing what it’s like to accept love as someone that struggles to let down their walls. The lyrics lean into the vulnerability that close relationships require, welcoming listeners into what feels like a personal conversation. Chi expresses, ”What a gift it is to be stuck inside and happy beside you / To realize, oh it’s magnifying / All the little things you do to make me whole.”
To close the record, Chi gives us the soulful and timely number “For A Broken World.” This song leans into the beauty of resilience and shared humanity in times of grief, ambivalence, and worry. “You can spend a whole life tryna conquer and divide / But you can’t move nobody if you can’t see what’s inside a beating heart,” he sings.
Chi The Artist’s album release show took place this past Saturday February 7th at Ernie’s Place in Washington, DC. The show was intimate, inviting the audience to an up-close look into his creative realm. This project follows his previous appearance on “As Far As We Know” with Crushed Velvet & the Velveteers (produced by Alan Evans), as well as the album Love and Truth.
