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Free Time
Pop · 2019 · 7 tracks · 25m

Free Time

Ruel

Soulful, R&B-infused pop that balances youthful vulnerability with sophisticated production. A collection of sun-drenched melodies and bittersweet reflections.

September 13, 2019 · The Muziek Trust

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Free Time feels like the exact moment the sun dips below the horizon, casting long, orange shadows across a suburban landscape. It is an album defined by its warmth, yet there is a persistent chill of loneliness running through the songwriting. Ruel occupies a unique space here, sounding far more emotionally weathered than his age would suggest. The production is immaculately clean, favoring crisp percussion and liquid synth textures that provide a soft landing for his gravelly, soulful baritone. It is the sound of modern youth filtered through a classic soul lens, resulting in something that feels both immediate and strangely timeless.

Tracklist · 7 Tracks · 25m
01
Don’t Cry
3:07
02
Real Thing
3:12
03
Painkiller
3:34
04
Hard Sometimes
4:29
05
Face to Face
3:24
06
Unsaid
3:47
07
Free Time
3:39
Moments Worth Listening For
The sudden rhythmic shift and bright brass-like synths that kick off Painkiller.
The intimate, almost whispered opening of Face to Face that builds into a rich, harmonized chorus.
The way the bassline carries the groove in Real Thing, anchoring the airy vocal performance.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Free Time sound next to the rest of Ruel's catalogue?

Love Lost+1.1σ

The writing leans notably further into love lost than the rest of the catalogue.

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