The features are a who’s who of female artists remaking soul music in their own images: Kali Uchis’ retro groove, Syd’s chilly futurism, H.E.R.’s updated traditionalism, and Charlotte Day Wilson’s folksy elegance. On past projects, Caesar has generally worked alone, but with Freudian, a number of key collaborators help bring the album into focus. His cottony voice, complete with falsetto flourishes, adds emotional depth to his lyrics. Similarly, the piano-driven ballad “Blessed” finds Caesar trying to make amends for his shortcomings (“Yes I’m a mess but I’m blessed to be stuck with you”). The warmth of those two songs stands in stark contrast to a song like “Loose,” a poetic vent about letting go that’s backed by celestial organs and is reminiscent of one of Frank Ocean’s interludes. As often as he basks in the beauty of romance, he repents at the altar of a broken heart, performing with an unflashy sincerity more in line with spiritual offerings than R&B melodrama.įreudian opens with his breakout single “Get You,” a saccharine honeymoon-phase jam featuring Kali Uchis. In Caesar's world, love is a holy experience sullied by human imperfection. It’s no surprise many singers have dabbled in both. The line between the two genres can be thin: Their similar tempos and lyrical themes lend themselves to interchangeability (see, for instance, the shift from Musiq’s “ Love” to Trin-i-Tee 5:7’s “ Lord”).