Radiosoul

Last updated

Radiosoul
Alfie Templeman - Radiosoul.png
Studio album by
Alfie Templeman
Released7 June 2024 (2024-06-07)
Recorded2022 and 2023
Genre
Length38:43
Label Chess Club
Alfie Templeman chronology
Mellow Moon
(2022)		Radiosoul
(2024)
Singles from Radiosoul
  1. "Eyes Wide Shut"
    Released: 13 February 2024
  2. "Radiosoul"
    Released: 7 March 2024
  3. "Hello Lonely"
    Released: 19 April 2024
  4. "Beckham"
    Released: 21 May 2024
  5. "Just a Dance"
    Released: 2 June 2024

Radiosoul is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Alfie Templeman. It was released on 7 June 2024 through Chess Club Records, with distribution from AWAL. [1] [2]

Contents

The album was supported by five promotional singles: "Eyes Wide Shut", [3] "Radiosoul", [4] "Hello Lonely", [5] "Beckham" [6] and "Just a Dance" (featuring Nile Rodgers). [7]

Background and recording

Radiosoul followed Templeman's debut album, Mellow Moon , which was released in 2022; [2] [4] up to that point, the artist had released gradually longer EPs every year, but decided to switch his release schedule once he started working on his second LP. [2] [8]

Although Templeman had started writing some of the songs on the album back in 2017, the recording sessions took place between February and July 2023, [1] [2] as the artist traveled to Los Angeles and Miami, before going back to South London, [1] [9] where he had moved to with his girlfriend from Bedford. [10] [11] As opposed to Mellow Moon, which Templeman had written and produced by himself in his bedroom during the COVID-19 pandemic, [10] [12] partially due to his childhood interstitial lung disease [10] (first diagnosed in 2019), [13] the artist worked with various other producers on Radiosoul, with the likes of Will Bloomfield, Justin Young, [8] [12] Dan Carey, Charlie J. Perry, [10] [11] Josh Scarbrow, Karma Kid, Oscar Scheller [1] and Nile Rodgers – who co-produced and featured on the song "Just A Dance" – all being involved in the recording process. [14] [15] In an interview with Dork, Templeman claimed that he became more open to collaborations in order to fulfill his artistic ambitions better: [8]

All the best melodies I've had are ones that come to you. You sit there, and you internalise everything, and the next minute, it's there. I do often think about that, and how you can dream a song, and hear it in your head, and just put it down. How it materialises from just a thought is so interesting to me. It's incredible. This is why I worked with other producers this time, because on Mellow Moon, I had so many good ideas that I just wasn't capable of doing myself. [...] It was such a shame that some of those ideas were only 85% [brought to light], instead of 100%. With this record, it was about making sure I maximised those ideas, and made them as close to what I imagined as possible.

Music and lyrics

Nile Rodgers was cited by Templeman as one of the main inspirations for Radiosoul; the two artists first met in 2021, and collaborated for the single "Just a Dance". Nile Rodgers Hyde Park 2022 (cropped).jpg
Nile Rodgers was cited by Templeman as one of the main inspirations for Radiosoul; the two artists first met in 2021, and collaborated for the single "Just a Dance".

Sonically, Radiosoul was considered to be more experimental and adventurous than Templeman's previous album, Mellow Moon, and his earlier works, [9] [11] which were mostly centered around indie pop; [8] [9] the various songs on the LP incorporate elements of indie rock, R&B, neo soul, disco, and jazz, among other genres. [10] The artist himself described the project as "incohesively cohesive", [8] while citing the likes of Stereolab, MGMT, Dua Lipa, Prince, Talking Heads, [4] The Beatles, [6] [9] Todd Rundgren, [9] David Bowie [14] [16] and Nile Rodgers—who he had first met with in 2021 and featured on the song "Just a Dance"—as his main inspirations for the album. [14] [15]

From a lyrical point of view, the album mainly focuses on Templeman's shift from adolescence to early adulthood, as well as other personal experiences; [2] [10] [12] the topics include his struggles with mood swings and burnout while touring ("Eyes Wide Shut"), [3] the negative effects of social media overuse (the title track), [4] isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic ("Hello Lonely"), [5] his move to London ("Beckham") [10] and his anxiety issues ("Run to Tomorrow"). [8] [9] He also stated that Radiosoul reflected his more mature and meaningful approach to lyrics in comparison to his earlier works, [8] [9] [11] as he explained in an interview with DIY : [11]

I'm so fed up of being nonsensical [in my songs]. I very much want to write things that I can go back to and say, "Oh, that's where I was exactly in that moment". I've always wanted to document my life through EPs and albums, but I feel like with this album, it actually really is doing that. Mellow Moon did it a little, but more so with just being a pandemic album. In the pandemic, we weren't really doing much, so what am I actually singing about? I don't know, just being stuck inside! Now, no one wants to fucking talk about that anymore! With this album, it's about what happens after coming out of it, and saying, "I'm a bit fuzzy".

Release and promotion

The lead single from Radiosoul, "Eyes Wide Shut", was released on 13 February 2024, together with an official music video. [3] The album was first announced on 7 March of the same year, with the title track also being released as the second single, alongside an official lyric video. [1] [2] [4] The third single from the project, "Hello Lonely", was released on 19 April, together with a music video. [5]

The fourth single, "Beckham", was released on 21 May; [6] the song had originally been previewed by Templeman back in June 2023, during a live session for Polish radio station Radio Kolor. [17] [18] In May 2024, the artist performed on the New Music Stage at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend festival in Luton, [19] where he played an unreleased song from the LP, "Just a Dance"; [20] the track, featuring Nile Rodgers, was officially released as the fifth and final single from the album on 2 June 2024. [7] [16]

As part of the album's promotional campaign, Templeman held a series of in-store concerts at record stores across the United Kingdom in June 2024; [2] from October to December of the same year, he's scheduled for an international headline tour, which includes performances in the United States, Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. [7] [16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [21]
Dork Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]
Paste 7.8/10 [23]
The Line of Best Fit 7/10 [24]

Daisy Carter of DIY gave the album a highly positive review, describing it as "a technicolour triumph that's [Templeman's] most ambitious, maximalist, and forward-facing work yet"; she also praised the album's themes and stylistic versatility, naming Scissor Sisters, Declan McKenna and Nile Rodgers as examples of artists whose influence could be heard throughout the project. [21]

Writing for Paste , Alyssa Goldberg noted Radiosoul's overall cohesiveness and originality, writing quote, "While maintaining the joy and electric groove of his earlier work, the record brings forth a newfound complexity to Templeman's lyricism and production". [23] Dan Harrison of Dork praised Templeman's artistic progress in comparison to his previous works, writing that "in many ways, Radiosoul feels like the debut album [he] always wanted to make". [22]

In a milder review for The Line of Best Fit , Tanatat Khuttapan wrote that the album's final leg felt like "a cooldown that forgoes the riveting momentum set up earlier", while noting that a few tracks recalled Harry Styles' 2022 album Harry's House . Nevertheless, he described Templeman as "a potent star yet to arise", writing that "sometimes, gradual progression hits the jackpot more certainly than a leap forward". [24]

Track listing

Radiosoul track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Radiosoul"
Perry5:15
2."Eyes Wide Shut"
  • Bloomfield
  • Cameron Poole [v]
3:22
3."This Is Just the Beginning"
Scheller3:26
4."Vultures"TemplemanTempleman3:32
5."Drag"
Karma Kid3:07
6."Hello Lonely"
  • Templeman
  • Bloomfield
  • Hayward-Young
  • Bloomfield
  • Poole [v]
3:31
7."Just a Dance" (featuring Nile Rodgers)
  • Bloomfield
  • Rodgers
  • Templeman
  • Poole [v]
2:41
8."Submarine"
  • Templeman
  • Josh Scarbrow
Scarbrow3:24
9."Beckham"
Carey3:27
10."Switch"
  • Templeman
  • Knowles
Karma Kid2:37
11."Run to Tomorrow"
  • Templeman
  • Carey
Carey4:23
Total length:38:43

Note

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Radiosoul
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [25] 29
UK Albums (OCC) [26] 57
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [27] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nile Rodgers</span> American musician (born 1952)

Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.

<i>Hearts and Bones</i> 1983 studio album by Paul Simon

Hearts and Bones is the sixth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was released in 1983 by Warner Bros. Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times (Chic song)</span> 1979 single by Chic

"Good Times" is a disco soul song by American R&B band Chic, released in June 1979 by Atlantic Records as the first single from their third album, Risqué (1979). It ranks 68th on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and has become one of the most sampled songs in music history, most notably in hip hop music. Originally released with "A Warm Summer Night" on the B-side, it was reissued in 2004 with "I Want Your Love" on the B-side, a version which was certified Silver in the UK.

<i>Dancing on the Ceiling</i> 1986 studio album by Lionel Richie

Dancing on the Ceiling is the third solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on August 5, 1986. The album was originally to be titled Say You, Say Me, after the Academy Award-winning track of the same name, but it was renamed to a different track's title after Richie rewrote several songs on the album. The album was released to generally positive reviews and it made No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 4 million copies. The album was Richie’s second with session guitarist Carlos Rios. Following this album's release, Richie went on a long hiatus, not releasing an album of entirely new material for another ten years.

<i>Shes the Boss</i> 1985 studio album by Mick Jagger

She's the Boss is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released on 19 February 1985 in the US and 4 March 1985 in the UK.

<i>Behind the Sun</i> (Eric Clapton album) 1985 studio album by Eric Clapton

Behind the Sun is the ninth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released on 11 March 1985 by Duck Records / Warner Bros. Records. It is Clapton's first collaborative project with Phil Collins who co-produced the album and played on some of the tracks. While recording the album Clapton temporarily split with his wife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China Girl (song)</span> Song by David Bowie and Iggy Pop

"China Girl" is a song written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie in 1976, and first released by Pop on his debut solo album, The Idiot (1977). Inspired by an affair Pop had with a Vietnamese woman, the lyrics tell a story of unrequited love for the protagonist's Asian girlfriend, realizing by the end that his Western influences are corrupting her. Like the rest of The Idiot, Bowie wrote the music and Pop improvised the lyrics while standing at the microphone. The song was released as a single in May 1977 and failed to chart.

<i>Simple Man</i> (Klaus Nomi album) 1982 studio album by Klaus Nomi

Simple Man is the second album by German countertenor Klaus Nomi, released on 23 November 1982 by RCA. It was also the last album of original material to be released during Nomi's lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chic (band)</span> American disco band

Chic, currently called Nile Rodgers & Chic, is an American disco band founded in 1972 mainly by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It recorded many commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " (1977), "Everybody Dance" (1977), "Le Freak" (1978), "I Want Your Love" (1978), "Good Times" (1979), and "My Forbidden Lover" (1979). The group regarded themselves as a rock band for the disco movement "that made good on hippie peace, love and freedom". In 2017, Chic was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the eleventh time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give Life Back to Music</span> 2014 single by Daft Punk

"Give Life Back to Music" is a song written and recorded by French electronic music duo Daft Punk for their fourth studio album, Random Access Memories. It is the opening track on the album. The song features lyrics performed by Daft Punk using vocoders. "Give Life Back to Music" also features album collaborators Nile Rodgers on guitar and Chilly Gonzales on keyboards. The song includes guitar work by Paul Jackson, Jr. and additional keyboards by Chris Caswell, with drums by John "J.R." Robinson and bass by Nathan East. The song was distributed to radio stations on 31 January 2014 as the album's fifth overall single and the final single from the album in 2014. Before this, it charted in France, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

<i>When the Boys Meet the Girls</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Sister Sledge

When the Boys Meet the Girls is the eighth studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on June 7, 1985, by Atlantic Records, their first release on that label.

<i>Ripcord</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Keith Urban

Ripcord is the ninth studio album by New Zealand-born Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released on 6 May 2016 via Hit Red and Capitol Records Nashville. The album produced the singles "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16"; "Break on Me", "Wasted Time", "Blue Ain't Your Color", and "The Fighter". It also features musical artists Nile Rodgers, Pitbull, and Carrie Underwood. Just like his previous album Fuse (2013), Urban co-worked with multiple producers on this one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfie Templeman</span> English musician

Alfie George Templeman is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. In 2016, he began recording and releasing demos at the age of 13. Templeman made his professional solo debut in 2018, and went on to release seven extended plays, as well as two studio albums, Mellow Moon (2022) and Radiosoul (2024).

<i>Times</i> (album) 2021 studio album by SG Lewis

Times is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter SG Lewis. It was released on 19 February 2021 by Virgin EMI and PMR Records. It features guest appearances from Rhye, Lucky Daye, Nile Rodgers, Frances, Robyn, Channel Tres and Lastlings.

<i>Mellow Moon</i> 2022 studio album by Alfie Templeman

Mellow Moon is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Alfie Templeman. It was released on 27 May 2022 via Chess Club Records. Templeman co-wrote all fourteen of the tracks on the album and co-produced eight of them. In interviews, Templeman noted the album's sonic diversity, describing it as a mix of R&B, pop, folk, rock and jazz. Regarding the album's title, Templeman explained that "It's my safe space, the “Mellow Moon”. Because sometimes, I feel I’m on a different planet, I go somewhere else. So, I can just melt into this moon and feel free enough for a little while, so I’m inviting people to the Mellow Moon, in a way."

<i>Sorry Im Late</i> (Mae Muller album) 2023 studio album by Mae Muller

Sorry I'm Late is the debut studio album by English singer Mae Muller. It was released on 29 September 2023, through Capitol Records, EMI Records and Universal Music Group. The album is supported by six singles: "Better Days", "I Just Came to Dance", "I Wrote a Song", "Me, Myself & I", "MTJL" and "Written by a Woman".

<i>Sorry I Havent Called</i> 2023 studio album by Vagabon

Sorry I Haven't Called is the third studio album by Cameroon-born musician Laetitia Tamko, under the stage name Vagabon. It was released on September 15, 2023, through Nonesuch.

<i>Venus</i> (Zara Larsson album) 2024 studio album by Zara Larsson

Venus is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer Zara Larsson. It was released on 9 February 2024 through Sommer House and Epic Records. A dance-pop album, Venus includes themes of love, heartbreak and also explores Larsson's personal relationships with her family and friends. The album was described by Larsson as a "full-on rollercoaster ride of emotion".

<i>Found Heaven</i> 2024 studio album by Conan Gray

Found Heaven is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Conan Gray, released by Republic Records on April 5, 2024. The album was preceded by the singles "Never Ending Song", "Winner", "Killing Me", "Lonely Dancers", and "Alley Rose". To support Found Heaven, Gray will embark on his fifth headlining concert tour, Found Heaven On Tour in July 2024.

<i>God Said No</i> 2024 studio album by Omar Apollo

God Said No is the second studio album by American singer Omar Apollo, released on June 28, 2024, through Warner Records. It includes contributions from Mustafa and actor Pedro Pascal, and was preceded by the singles "Spite", "Dispose of Me" and "Less of You".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hussain, Shahzaib (8 March 2024). "Alfie Templeman Announces New Album 'Radiosoul'". Clash . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Carter, Daisy (8 March 2024). "Alfie Templeman confirms sophomore album Radiosoul". DIY . Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Jamieson, Sarah (13 February 2024). "Alfie Templeman returns with funky new single 'Eyes Wide Shut'". DIY . Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Mier, Tomás (8 March 2024). "Alfie Templeman Wants You to Get Off the Phone With New Album Radiosoul". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Kelly, Tyler Damara (19 April 2024). "Alfie Templeman previews second album with new single, "Hello Lonely"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Murray, Robin (22 May 2022). "Alfie Templeman Faces Up to the Present with 'Beckham'". Clash . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Jamieson, Sarah (3 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman shares funky Nile Rodgers-featuring 'Just a Dance'". DIY . Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Firth, Abigail (7 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman: "I was like, mate, I've just come out of being a kid, what's happening now?"". Dork . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hernandez, Janet (6 June 2024). "Q&A: On 'Radiosoul', Alfie Templeman Comes In To His Own". The Luna Collective. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Richards, Will (7 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman's fearless, funky new era". Rolling Stone UK . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Jamieson, Sarah; Swann, Emma (12 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman: He's Got Soul". DIY . Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 Evans, Joshua (7 June 2024). ""I feel like this album is a completely fresh start": The British artist talks Radiosoul and working with Nile Rodgers". Man About Town . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  13. ↑ Clifton, Madeline (28 September 2020). "Alfie Templeman finds his groove with latest disco-infused bop "Forever Isn't Long Enough"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 Moayeri, Lily (7 June 2024). "Here's How Nile Rodgers 'Chic-ed' Up Alfie Templeman's New Single "Just a Dance"". Spin . Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  15. 1 2 Fullbrook, Danny (8 June 2024). "How Carlton's Alfie Templeman got to work with Nile Rodgers". BBC News . BBC . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 Skinner, Tom (4 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman announces 2024 UK, European, US and Mexico tour". NME . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "Radio Kolor Live Session - Alfie Templeman". Radio Kolor (in Polish). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  18. ↑ Ackroyd, Stephen (23 June 2023). "Watch Alfie Templeman bend one top bins with a live session version of a new track, 'Beckham'". Dork . Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  19. ↑ Fullbrook, Danny (2 April 2024). "Alfie Templeman: Radio 1's Big Weekend will aid Luton music scene". BBC . Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  20. ↑ Radio 1's Big Weekend - 2024: Alfie Templeman - Just a Dance (Video). BBC iPlayer. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024– via BBC.
  21. 1 2 Carter, Daisy (7 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman - Radiosoul". DIY . Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  22. 1 2 Harrison, Dan (14 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman – Radiosoul". Dork . Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  23. 1 2 Goldberg, Alyssa (10 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman Has Something to Prove on Radiosoul". Paste . Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  24. 1 2 Khuttapan, Tanatat (7 June 2024). "Alfie Templeman's effervescent pop sound matures on Radiosoul". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  27. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.