Album Review: Khalid, after the sun goes down

The songs on Khalid’s fifth album were written in and around the time the American R&B artist – an international star since the release of the lo-fi ‘Location’ in 2016 – was outed as gay on social media by an ex. The album, said Khalid, was an attempt to take his agency back and express himself freely. More power to him.

after the sun goes down sees Khalid working alongside a big team of producers and co-writers, helmed by Ilya Salmanzadeh (who has worked extensively with Ariana Grande). The result is a pop and hook-focused sound, more accessible than anything he's done before.

There are 17 songs on this album, and if you can excuse the fact that some of them feel like the artist throwing pop at the wall to see what sticks, you’ll find that most of the tracks are excellent.

‘please don’t call (333)’ is simply infectious, as is ‘dumbstruck’. There’s a wonderful, head-bopping bliss to ‘in plain sight’, while ‘momentary lovers’ is a shimmering summer song. Khalid said he was inspired by noughties R&B artists and Janet Jackson, and you can certainly see it on songs like ‘Out Of Body’. ‘Hurt People’ impressively rounds out the album.

• Out now.