Album Review: Steve Lacy Releases New Album ‘Gemini Rights’

Gemini Rights is an anthology of anecdotes about heartbreak, combining funky melodies with riveting percussion and passionate vocals. 

In an interview with WIRED, Steve Lacy described his music style as plaid: there might sound like there’s a lot going on, but nothing clashes; it all goes together to be one pattern. Along with two studio albums, Lacy has worked as a producer for artists including the Internet, Kendrick Lamar, and Vampire Weekend. Lacy’s proficiency in music production and robust instrumental talent—playing bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, and vocals—have helped him curate his plaid style.

Gemini Rights elevates this plaid style. In “Helmet,” a “boing” sound reminiscent of video games is combined with percussive accents, melodic harmonies, and a piano-key ending. This layering of sounds takes plaid to another level.

Lacy does more than elevate an old style, he experiments with new ideas.

In “Basement Jack” from Lacy’s 2019 album (Apollo XXI), Lacy sings “something something something” in place of a meaningful lyric. Gemini Rights, on the other hand, opens with “Static,” a track abundant with more thoughtful songwriting. In this track, Lacy sing, “smoking made me *cough*”where he replaces the word “cough” with a recording of a cough. This clever songwriting is also seen in “Mercury,” where Lacy’s voice is heard in three different styles: raw self-harmonizations, heavy robotic autotune, and a (nearly) spoken-word third verse. The multifaceted nature of Lacy’s voice takes the listener on an auditory rollercoaster; the versatility of his voice also mimics the meaning of his words: “You think I’m two faced, I could name 23/My layers, all these sides/Could you stick by for the ride?” Here, and in the larger scheme of his album, Lacy credits his multidimensionality, underscoring his identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ and Black communities. 

It is evident that Lacy aimed for more comprehensive lyricism, but perhaps he sometimes got too tired to complete this goal. Repetition might be pleasing for one song, but on “Bad Habit,” “Buttons, “2Gether (Entrelude),” “Amber,” and “Sunshine,” Lacy closes the song by repeating the same lyric over and over again. Of course, this does not inherently make a song bad, but it does provide a less substantive ending.  

While his previous albums were performed exclusively solo, on Gemini Rights Lacy incorporates collaborations. These collaborations provide a new layer to Lacy’s plaid style. Matt Martians, whom Lacy has collaborated with in the past, is featured on “2Gether (Entrelude).” Additionally, Foushee’s mellifluous, feathery coos are heard in “Mercury” and “Sunshine,” contrasting the rougher tones of Lacy’s voice. On “Sunshine,” Foushee serves a larger purpose than singer; her accompaniment helps Lacy develop his storytelling. Together, they dialogue the feeling of loving an ex, despite the toxicity that the breakup might produce. 

At other times, however, the vocal showcase falls short. In “Cody Freestyle,” listeners experience the Steve Lacy falsetto. His classic style is sometimes nice, but this classic falsetto falls short in “Cody Freestyle.” If the song’s purpose was to provide a calm break for the listener, well, Enterlude already does that. The falsetto, instead of being calming, made an already-uninteresting song more boring. 

Despite its flaws, Gemini Rights is an undeniably catchy album with tons of great tracks. “Bad Habits” became viral on TikTok immediately after its release. Every song is worth a listen, and every listener will find something to relate to in Lacy’s myriad magical sounds. 

Chloe Fribourg– Music Editor – Chloe is a rising senior in high school, where she is the Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook. Aside from journalism, Chloe is a lover of music, playing the bass, guitar, and piano in her free time. She also speaks Spanish and is learning French and Italian; she dreams of studying Linguistics in college.