Olivia Dean– The Art of Loving

By Allison Thoma | Top Tracks: “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” “Man I Need” and “I’ve Seen It”

Photo Credit: Harald Krichel via Wikimedia Commons

The Art of Loving is the sophomore album from singer-songwriter Olivia Dean. Released back in September, this album is an intimate exploration of love in many forms, whether that be romantic, platonic, and self, as well as how we learn to love, and I have fallen further and further in love with it the more I listen.

Dean’s vocals tell you exactly how she is feeling in each word. You can hear when she smiles, and that sort of emotion is what is so mesmerizing about her vocals, and not something every singer accomplishes. Production and instrumentation on this album make it perfect for looking wistfully out of a train window or dancing around your bedroom. They do not shy away from bossa nova and jazz inspirations, with tracks like “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” prominently featuring horns and really exuding those influences.

Dean released three singles for this album: “Nice To Each Other,” “Lady Lady” and “Man I Need.” In the months leading up to the album, the singles garnered a collective 265 million streams on Spotify, becoming some of Dean’s biggest hits.

Overall, this is one of my favorite albums of the year so far, and I would recommend it to anyone as a wonderful 34-minute experience.

Songs you might know: “Dive” and “It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be.” You may also recognize her as she has been opening for Sabrina Carpenter at some of her most recent shows!