Terrace Martin and Gallant have dropped their new collaborative album, sneek. It is Martin’s first project release on his O’Connor label with Deon Ford, created in collaboration with Lowly and Create Music Group.
In the weeks leading up to sneek, Martin and Gallant released “311!” a jazz-infused single featuring contributions from musicians Robert Glasper and Keyon Harrold.
Sneek comprises nine tracks, each characterized by colorful tonal and harmonic contrasts. One of these tracks includes the previously mentioned single.
On “Bend,” a graceful soul tune, Gallant tells his lover that they need to make compromises for their love to thrive. More than anything else, the poetic lyricism in the first verse showcases Gallant’s talents as a songwriter to the fullest and makes calling him one of the best of his generation hard to resist.
“Devil’s Advocate” deserves its title as Gallant pleads for protection from his lover’s prying friends who speak about their relationship. In the song “Common Ground,” Gallant sings of reconnecting with a lost love, guided by a meditative piano.
Sneek is the follow-up to Martin’s I Left My Heart in Ladera, a collaborative album with Grammy-nominated singer Alex Isley, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
I Left My Heart in Ladera features Martin and Isley’s rendition of Sade’s classic “Paradise,” along with appearances from Robert Glasper, pianist Paul Cornish, and Arin Ray, who provides backing support on the standout track, “Only In The Moment.”
Martin reeled in a 2024 Best Progressive R&B Album nomination for Nova, his collaborative project with James Fauntleroy, released in August. It’s Martin’s third consecutive nomination in this category, following Drones and Dinner Party: Dessert.
Sneek serves as Gallant’s first project release in two years. In 2021, he released Neptune, an eight-track EP featuring Brandy, Arin Ray, and VanJess. The independently released project included the singles “Comeback” and “Dynamite.”
Neptune placed No. 3 on Rated R&B’s 30 Best R&B Albums of 2021 list.
Solo music aside, Gallant has stayed under the radar. He just teamed up with Apple Music to record “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with folk-pop artist and poet Jensen McRae.
Before that, he co-wrote Elaine’s 2022 single “Fade Away” and was featured on Ariza’s “Appalachia.”
In February 2024, Gallant will reunite with Maxwell on his Urban Hang Suite Cruise after touring alongside him this fall.
Listen to Terrace Martin and Gallant’s sneek below.
