Serpentwithfeet’s debut album “DEACON” centers on Black love, and provides what they call a study rather than a story delving into black gay love and companionship, surveying an area of music often ignored or overlooked by the mainstream. “DEACON” follows in the tradition of predecessors like Moses Sumney’s album “Grae” from 2020 but takes a more R&B fueled approach. Combining the tenderness of R&B with the texture of subtle bubbling glitches and pops, serpentwithfeet’s debut is not just a study in black relationships, but an exploration of the limitless options of R&B as well.

By Emma Chekroun