TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES

Upon its release in 2020, the withering "Dying 4 Your Love" seemed slight and dragged in comparison to Snoh Aalegra's previous charting single, "Whoa." Just over a year later, the ballad slides neatly into place as the penultimate scene in Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies, an album that fulfills the promise Aalegra showed on Feels and Ugh, Those Feels Again. There's a lustrous moment of self-reassurance when the album transitions at its midpoint from "Temporary Highs" to "Violet Skies," but the set otherwise navigates a turbulent relationship in which long-term contentment and closure are both out of the singer's grasp. Even when Aalegra doesn't sing of complications or conflict, there's a sense that she's seizing the moment with certainty or a strong assumption that it will either sour or slip away. And when she delivers a dismissal at the end ("But just know that I'm good without you"), it doesn't seem final. With rare exception, the productions -- including several of high quality from closest associate No I.D. -- are well-matched with Aalegra's voice. Much like Aalegra's performances, they're generally low in profile and full of intricacies, increasingly flavorful with each play. Joel Compass' billowy soundscape for "Tangerine Dream," the Neptunes' gentle bounce for "In Your Eyes," and Tyler, The Creator's swaying and fluttering "In the Moment" are among the brightest backdrops not crafted by No I.D. and his partners. Aalegra neither exaggerates her grievances nor oversells her evanescent joys for theatrical effect. It's this LP that best showcases her ability to truly sing without raising her voice.