REVIEW: Victoria Monét’s Frequency Of Love Turns Nostalgia Into an Emotional Journey

Victoria Monét returns with another album, bringing you the classic vibes you’re used to, as well as some new sounds you never thought you would experience from her. 

Her second full-length album, Frequency Of Love, continues to be a nod to classic R&B and soul, with sprinkles of more modern sounds in songs like “Say Dat” and “Single” and guest features like Bruno Mars, SZA, and Bryson Tiller, as well as her own daughter, Hazel Monét, making this album truly special to her.

Victoria Monét not only showcases her vocal range but also her versatility in style and lyrics. While most of the songs draw heavily on 1980s hip-hop, they still feel fresh, blending the past with modern songwriting and style. She shows her vocal range and creativity throughout the album, and how much impact instruments like electric guitar or violin can have with simple coordination, showing how she uses them to their full potential.

The vocals touch the soul, and the background choir makes some songs sound almost heavenly. From R&B to soul to pop, this album has something for every taste. Calmness, arousal, love, and hatred are just a few of the emotions I felt while listening, as the album guides you through Victoria Monét’s feelings, with every listen unlocking a new spectrum of emotions.

The album blends the feeling of reading a high school love letter with the feeling of watching a romance film, turning those feelings into musical signatures that make her stand out from any other artist. And the project comfortably guides you from feelings of being in love to the bedroom to heartbreak in an instant, without feeling sluggish or too fast. 

“That’s Why I Love You” made me feel like I was being transported straight into a romantic musical without feeling corny or baseless – and the album has a habit of eliciting that feeling of transportation, oftentimes giving the effect that time has slowed down and you’ve been sucked into an alternative 1980s hip-hop universe, floating around and watching yourself feel Victoria Monét’s emotions in third person.

“All I Need (Intro)” serves as a gateway, preparing you for the journey through her mind and feelings, while the interludes feel intentional without being too exciting, like a suppressant for people who get easily overstimulated by feeling all of their emotions at once. Most of the interludes feel familiar, like “Care for Me,” which feels like a scene from The Greatest Showman, or “No Love Like Yours,” which feels like a scene from Let It Shine.

“For You” feels like a fitting conclusion to the album, but it leaves you wanting more, or at least a definitive answer to whether there will be another album like this, or whether she’ll come back with a different angle or approach for the next one. Whether it’s a switch from the classic R&B she’s known for, or the same style on a different topic than love, the album doesn’t give much away about the end of this chapter.

Yet one thing is for certain: the album is truly a testament to how far she’s come as well as how far she’s capable of going. If you’re looking for old-school soul production in the modern era, trying to diversify your music taste, or hoping to understand your feelings or someone else’s, this album is a great listen, but whether you continue to follow her after hearing it is the true question. 

Victoria Monet’s Frequency of Love is out now.