13 tracks · 35 min
That Gallant created a pitch-perfect mid-2000s R&B track in 2019 (“Sleep On It”) speaks to his versatility and ability to create authentic moments from pure emotion. “I go through things in my relationship. I’m not perfect. I’m stubborn and sometimes I can be cold,” he tells Apple Music’s Travis Mills. “I just wanted to write something that gave people assurance that I’m a human being.” Gallant’s second album Sweet Insomnia certainly does that, processing raw feelings and turning them into supple R&B. His falsetto gleams on “Hurt” and the too-brief interludes “410 (Intro)” and “Forever 21”. He and 6LACK share a dark cloud on the title track. There’s a gauziness on songs like “Panasonic”, but Gallant stays anchored, his voice front and centre and not lurking in the darkness. Sweet Insomnia also highlights his skill at riding a rhythm, filling the bars with just the right amount of airspace. “Sharpest Edges” in particular swerves with dramatic pauses, all the while staying firmly in the cut. Commit this song to memory and be the star of the UberPool.
