The third full-length studio outing from the Irish singer/songwriter,
We Move finds
James Vincent McMorrow transitioning from bucolic balladeer to minimalist R&B bard, once again tapping the engineering skills of award-winning, Toronto-based producers
Nineteen85 and
Frank Dukes. While not a huge sonic sea change,
We Move definitely doubles down on the electronic elements that his co-producers helped usher in on 2014's aptly named
Post-Tropical. Opener and lead single "Rising Water," a politely propulsive bit of alt-R&B-infused Scandinavian-style synth-pop, distills this newfound voltaic temperament, which invokes names like
Drake,
Bon Iver, and
Sam Smith, into something far less icy than its sonic trappings would suggest. This holds true for the remaining nine tracks, especially on standouts like "Get Low" and "Evil." The warmth of the beats and the tasteful melodic arrangements are perfectly suited to
McMorrow's soulful, blue-eyed delivery, and the occasional stylistic detours and offbeat turns of phrase make for welcome deviations from the formula. ~ James Christopher Monger