NOBY releases his lush new single “Before.” Listen HERE via Motown Records. The rising alt-R&B artist and Alabama native has been pushing boundaries with his provocative lyrics and haunting melodies, but this latest effort shows the silk-smooth way he can envelop the listener. 

For most of its runtime, “Before” seems to fill the mix entirely, its gorgeous production finding every nook and cranny of the listener’s speakers or headphones. NOBY dances over it nimbly—sometimes ducking inside of it, sometimes gliding on top. Focused lines like “I was lost before” are sung deliberately, clear and doubled, while revelations just as stark are rendered as something closer to off-the-cuff utterances to himself. The effect is intoxicating, expertly planned, and improvisatory at once. 

“Before” comes in the wake of NOBY’s Motown debut, “It’s Never That Deep.” Regarding that track, NOBY said, “‘It’s Never That Deep’ speaks to the contradiction of having high expectations for a lover without being able to fully commit. It encapsulates the realities of an unbalanced love affair that is never fully reciprocated.” Instead of picking sides or laying blame, the newcomer takes an unusually adult approach to modern love. 

In 2020 NOBY released The Truest, a gorgeous, patient record that showcased his unimpeachable voice and knack for building and releasing tension. (The Truest includes breakout hit “What You Want,” which introduced NOBY to hundreds of thousands of listeners in a single stroke.) He’s also brought that ability to control the mood of a room into the physical realm, joining Yung Bleu on tour, helping export his unique sound to the world. With “Before,” NOBY proves he can construct a full realized universe all his own.