Jesse Boykins III
Love Apparatus
(NoMadic Music)

Love Apparatus, the new release from Jesse Boykins III, is soulful sensuality. Not purely R&B, the album was produced by Machinedrum and is a pleasant distraction from mainstream R&B because the formula is different and feels more vintage yet organic like on the track “Plain.” The poetic romanticism of lyrics coupled with Machinedrum’s electronic element easily sedates one into buying whatever it is the album is selling. “Live In Me” begins with interesting dialogue while a stilted beat along with the haze of synthesizers move with a hopeful promise of finding a soulmate, while Boykins’ vocals rise to occasion or as a successful attempt to match the sudden hike in steamy temperatures. Jesse Boykins III hails from Chicago, but is Brooklyn-based. He claimed his passion with music at a young age and later released his first major EP, Dopamine: My Life On My Back, in 2008. “GreyScale” seduces with pulsating rhythms while synths swim with allure as soft crooning vocals envelope. “B4 the Night is Thru” has a laidback dance vibe, while the supple sway on “The Wonder Years” showcases the caressing nature of Boykins’ vocals that feel like easy sunshine.