Five years and many collaborations after their last album, Adam Bainbridge has re-emerged under the Kindness moniker, with the empowering, dance-focused Something Like a War. Bainbridge uses their own voice along — with those of a range of powerful, evocative singers, such as Sampha and Jazmine Sullivan — to serve the songs instead of centering a narrative on themself.
Mixed by the late Philippe Zdar, Something Like a War is instilled with his signature vitality, the record's house rhythms underlying tracks that explore the many facets of love. "Softness as a Weapon," one of several tracks written by Bainbridge and Robyn, is a highlight, built atop an infectious collection of loops, house piano and vocal inflections that combine with horns to expand the track.
Catharsis is a strong theme, encapsulated by Robyn's lines on "Cry Everything": "This time my tears feel like progress / Don't think it's heartbreak." Something Like a War feels ambitious and searching, navigating the complex experiences of Bainbridge and their collaborators.
(Female Energy)Mixed by the late Philippe Zdar, Something Like a War is instilled with his signature vitality, the record's house rhythms underlying tracks that explore the many facets of love. "Softness as a Weapon," one of several tracks written by Bainbridge and Robyn, is a highlight, built atop an infectious collection of loops, house piano and vocal inflections that combine with horns to expand the track.
Catharsis is a strong theme, encapsulated by Robyn's lines on "Cry Everything": "This time my tears feel like progress / Don't think it's heartbreak." Something Like a War feels ambitious and searching, navigating the complex experiences of Bainbridge and their collaborators.