Tunde Adebimpe Goes Solo: Excitement Builds for TV on the Radio Star’s New Venture

It would be nice to move on, but the pandemic has stretched time in such a way that some artistic works from that period are still reaching us, delayed and resonant. With Tunde Adebimpe, if we are to activate the time machine, it’s for the best. The lead vocalist and songwriter of the band TV on the Radio began this solo album project in 2019.

However, it was fully realized in Los Angeles with his studio roommate, multi-instrumentalist Wilder Zoby, during the peak of the Covid pandemic. Despite this, the outcome is far from gloomy. On the contrary, Tunde Adebimpe is appealing and melodic, wielding pop music as a tool that is both cathartic and joyful.

Steel Guitar Highlights and Dazzling Electropop

It’s inevitable to draw parallels to TV on the Radio, as seen in the energetic tracks Magnetic and Pinstack, which echo the band’s finest moments. Yet, Tunde Adebimpe also ventures into new territories: he captivates with simplicity in the acoustic guitar-driven love song ILY or its counterpart, the breakup track God Knows, where the piercing chorus (“You’re the worst thing I’ve ever loved”) is softened by strokes of steel guitar.

The artist skillfully navigates between various emotions and musical paths without losing us. While he often indulges in introspection, especially on the moving track Drop produced by Jahphet Landis, TV on the Radio’s drummer since 2011, he surprises with the vibrant and truly danceable electropop of Somebody New. Ultimately, he delivers eleven compelling tracks to share, re-listen, and discover.

Thee Black Boltz (Sub Pop/Modulor). Released on April 18.