Get ready to adjust your new release playlist as Marlowe is back with their third album. The duo of producer L’Orange and rapper Solemn Brigham debuted in 2018 with their self-titled LP which was greeted with wide critical acclaim upon its release due to the group’s undeniable chemistry and unfiltered creativity. They followed up on their impressive debut with Marlowe 2 in 2020, yet another album filled with L’Orange’s masterfully chopped samples and Brigham’s ever-changing approach to cadence and songwriting. Another two years have gone by and the duo is back with another self-titled addition to their catalog, Marlowe 3. The 18-track album is their most daring and creative to date, without breaking their hot streak, Brigham and L’Orange continue to grow as a group while also experimenting with their individual talents.
The first hint of the group’s growth is Brigham’s choice of flows and cadences. He is taking a more melodic approach to these songs, borderline singing on songs like “The Jeweler”, a highlight from the album. Brigham has always been consistent in his pursuit of mind-boggling rhyme schemes, but on this one, he brings the complexity of his songwriting to a new level. Instead of relying on clever wordplay to drive his performance, he turns to different tones and melodies, improving on an already impressive aspect of his talents. This new approach to songcraft also shows the confidence Brigham has in his own ability, we all know he can write a verse riddled with intricate rhyme schemes so he opted to explore a new aspect of his voice and it paid off tremendously.
L’Orange crafted some of the best instrumentals you’ll hear on an album in 2022. His diversity has always been a big part of Marlowe’s sound but in this third installment, he is more meticulous than ever. It is the small sonic elements he adds that truly give Marlowe 3 its personality, look at his work on the posse cut “Royal” for example. While Brigham delivers another one of his remarkable choruses, L’Orange adds a crooning vocal sample to complement Brigham’s cartoonish flow, a sample that does not appear anywhere else in the song. It is small touches like this that truly build a world in these songs, a world of pure energy and color that can’t be duplicated.
There is a certain looseness to this record that makes it so enjoyable. Marlowe 3 catches the two artists at a pivotal point in their careers, the duo is traveling the world performing their songs to crowds of hundreds of people, and this album is for fans to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Brigham and L’Orange put the semantics of the recording industry aside and crafted a fun, cinematic album that adds on to their first two without being a carbon copy.
If this is your introduction to Marlowe, you’re right on time. The duo has crafted a worthy follow-up to their previously flawless releases that will have you pressing replay with no hesitation. My advice; get comfy and listen hard, you won’t want to miss a single second of Marlowe 3.
