As I’m sure you’re aware, nu-soul great Maxwell has finally returned from a lengthy, lengthy, rumor-laden, eight-damn-years absence to kick serious ass in the realm of Ultimate Smooveness. The album, BLACKsummers’night, isn’t out for two more weeks, but the three singles that have been teased from it are astounding. Supposedly it’s the first album of a trilogy, which might also explain the near-Beatle length of the thing — 36 minutes!

Have you seen the video for “Pretty Wings,” the best R&B track of this summer, and yes I’m aware that summer is all but three days old? It got taken down from YouTube, but hopefully this link works. Dude makes some sexy-ass videos. The song “Pretty Wings” is so amazing, though, really. This is apparent from the very beginning with that lovely sing-song-y, almost avant-garde looped-bell sounding bit that also repeats in the bridge. His voice remains such a strong instrument, and he uses it so tastefully, rising from a whisper to a shout without sounding cheesey. The horns that come in at the end are subtle; you don’t even notice them at first. Then it ends with the slowest of slow fades.

Now, that is some serious slow jam action there! I think I’ll need to get new silk sheets to go with this thing.

—DJ Yeti

So, it’s about damn time!