England-born soul singer, Daley, has returned to the scene with his sophomore release The Spectrum. Following the successful formula of his previous EP’s and his 2014 debut release, “Days+Nights,” Daley continues to make a name for himself with his brand of Alternative R&B. From the “Interlude” to the closing track, The Spectrum is an ambitious project that mixes up multiple genres to significant effect.
Led by the lead single, the Jill Scott collaboration “Until the Pain Is Gone,” a soulful ballad that is in the vein of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper.” The Spectrum is one of the better R&B albums of the summer. Daley, who has collaborated with female singers Jessie J and Marsha Ambrosius in the past, displays a natural talent for constructing a duet with female singers. A good songwriter can make the listener identify with the material, and with “Selfish,” Daley does just that.
A lush & confessional ballad, “Selfish” is one of the strongest songs on the album. I can easily see the song as a feature on numerous TV shows as a background song. The song is about a man confessing his faults to his woman, and the simple arrangement works in the song’s favor. “Temple” is another highlight on the album, which recalls George Michael’s “Father Figure” and Chris Isaak’s “I Want to fall in Love.” If his label promotes it right, I could easily see this song crossing over to pop radio.
My favorite song on the album, though, would have to be “Second To None,” where Prince’s influence is evident. “Second To None” is a song that will come across as great LIVE, as it highlights Daley’s rich tenor. Thankfully, Daley does not over sing anything on the album or water down his vocal to cross over to the pop audience. While I am more partial to Daley’s slower material than his up-tempo, he did win me over with “Slow Burn,” which has a hand dance/Chicago Steppers vibe too. While, the second single, “Sympathy,” has a G-Funk groove to it, which I can easily see a DJ mixing in with some classic West Coast Hip Hop.
Daley had avoided the sophomore slump that befalls some artists by expanding on the natural soul formula that made his first album a success. The Spectrum is a fine album overall, and I highly recommend it.
Final Grade A-
The Spectrum is available on all streaming platforms
For the first Second Listen Sunday of 2025, I wanted to return to 2005 and highlight “Gemini,” the eighth album from iconic singer & balladeer Brian McKnight. The album hit stores on February 8th, 2005, and would serve as the singer’s last release on the legendary Motown label. The album’s title pays homage to the singer’s astrological sign.
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