Sweetback: Sade Reimagined
The opening sax line of “You Will Rise” has become so ubiquitous within my friend group that it’s practically our theme song. Though Sade has enjoyed a resurgence thanks to Gen-Z’s penchant for the 90s, Sweetback remains the band’s lesser-known cousin, a side project composed of the same instrumentalists minus frontwoman Sade Adu. On their eponymous debut, Sweetback retained much of Sade’s neo-soul/R&B allure in songs like “You Will Rise,” for example, while experimenting with trip-hop inspired beats on tracks like “Arabesque.” Members Stuart Matthewman (guitar/saxophone), Paul Denman (bass), and Andrew Hale (keyboard) craft an ambient and seductive soundscape; many tracks lack any lyrics at all, inviting listeners to escape into a world of “just [their] sensations.” Sweetback is a funk album at its core, with its bass grooves punctuated by lush vocals courtesy of guest artists like Maxwell and Amel Larrieux (of Groove Theory fame). For such a stacked cast of contributors, Sweetback is shockingly under-appreciated—though released in 1996, the album has largely flown under the radar of Sade fans.
A lack of public awareness certainly hasn’t dissuaded aficionados from praising Sweetback’s acid jazz-influenced blend of intricate live instrumentation with electronic samples. Brooding and downtempo, tracks like “Gaze” seep in over repeated listens rather than immediately arresting attention, yet they linger long after their final notes. The lyrics to “Softly, Softly” center on vulnerability and emotional surrender, while “Hope She’ll Be Happier,” a Bill Withers cover, laments an ex-lover finding someone new. Laid-back, moody, and hypnotic, Sweetback is what my best friend calls “music for making out,” ideal for a moodboard depicting rain dripping down window panes and fluorescent lights shining on wet pavement. Sweetback is an atmospheric step forward in Sade’s evolution, a sleek, sonic expedition guided by 90s R&B greats. If your friend group is searching for an anthem, Sweetback has got you covered.
Olivia Yafa is a freshman in the College studying government (probably). Her other interests include falling deeper down the Mk.gee pipeline and occasionally shaking the dust off her guitar.
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