serpentwithfeet - GRIP

On ‘GRIP’, serpentwithfeet sheds previous gospel influences and classical flourishes for a celebration of Black, queer nightlife that still reaches celestial heights. Where ‘soil’ sought inspiration from the sounds of serpent’s youth in Baltimore, and follow-up ‘Deacon’ chronicled heartbreak and its aftermath, ‘GRIP’ finds serpent much more content, cherishing small moments of physical closeness without becoming sentimental or saccharine. ‘Damn Gloves’, featuring frequent collaborator Ty Dolla $ign, sets the scene by plunging the listener into the club environment with its propulsive beat and insatiable hook, as does ‘Rum/Throwback’, a fusion of house and EDM. The record fluctuates between adjacent moments of raw desire and tenderness. Later track ‘Hummin’’ is ASMR-like, with serpent’s hums and whispers seeking to mimic moments of intimacy between fleeting lovers. serpent’s trademark silky vocals and heart-on-sleeve declarations of love still shine here, as they did on ‘soil’, but the instrumentation moves away from previous grandeur, making it more accessible. Take ‘Ellipsis’, a track built upon a ‘90s R&B instrumental, or standout ‘Lucky Me’, which is underscored by its finger-style guitar plucks and the gentle crash of waves, with serpent at his most vulnerable, reaching a delicious falsetto as he sings “I’m lucky to be word on your page […] Sorry I’m gushing again.” An artist in every sense of the word, serpent recently lent his hand to scoring A24’s ‘The Inspection’, as well as curating an audio-visual experience ‘Heart of Brick’ last year in Hamburg, encompassing dance and music. It’s little surprise, then, that ‘GRIP’ is reflective of serpent’s other artistic pursuits; it is a dynamic and sensual album, rich with imagery, peppered with romance, and imbued with joy.