Chloe x Halle Are Unapologetic in Their New Album 'Ungodly Hour'

In their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour, Chloe x Halle begin the first track with their trademark ooh’s and ahh’s, their two distinctive voices blending seamlessly together into a single operatic sound, one that defined their previous body of work, The Kids Are Alright. As the 30-second intro comes to a close, the sister duo sends a rebellious message to their listeners that would set the tone for the entire project—"Don’t ever ask for permission/ Ask for for forgiveness”.

The singers’ second studio album, released last Friday, could not come at a more ungodly hour in the world. The artists even decided to push their album release date back a week in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, in an effort to keep the focus on the pressing social justice issues that need to be addressed in this country.

As the singers have gained popularity over the past year, their music has been known to be a source of healing, and the release of this album has been no different. For many, it’s been a pillar of light and joy— and at the very least, a welcomed distraction from the heaviness of the world’s events.

In their latest work, the young artists, both now in their 20s, aim to reveal the nuances of their identities. While The Kids Are Alright was an affirmation that there isn’t anything wrong with growing up, Ungodly Hour dives deeper into those growing pains, unveiling the insecurities and rejection along with the wisdom and strength that inevitably follows.

If they were in the process of finding themselves in their first album, they have since discovered the fullness of their individuality, all while settling into their signature sound and embracing their sexualities along the way. They explore adulthood from a more mature lens than they’ve previously presented to the world, sending a message that they are not the innocent angels listeners might have perceived them to be. Explicit lyrics are sung in perfect pitch, emphasized with deep bass and heavy percussions.

In the album’s first full length track, “Forgive Me” which was released alongside the album’s second music video, Chloe x Halle’s light, angelic voices are in perfect juxtaposition with the heavy instrumentation that lends the track so much power. It is a fitting opener as it embodies the dichotomy depicted in the album’s cover art, which captures the sisters in form-fitting leather dresses with silver, inflatable angel wings attached to their backs.

But therein lies the range of the duo’s artistry. While they can write, produce, and sing a song about going out with their friends in their up-tempo bop, “Do It”, they can just as easily croon a soul-aching story of being the hopelessly in love “other woman” in the ballad, “Wonder What She Thinks of Me.”

While the sisters’ boy troubles were teased in songs like “Happy Without Me” on their premiere album, they fully explore their romantic escapades in their latest release. Most of the songs on the project speak to topics of love, heartbreak, and messy situationships and the process of taking power from those experiences.

Although they have slightly switched up their content, Chloe x Halle’s distinctive harmonizing and limitless range is still heard throughout the project. While they have admitted to having several musical influences including Billie Holiday and their mentor, Beyonce, the unique style they’ve curated over the years is a testament to their own creativity.

Their music is seemingly impossible to define. Throughout Ungodly Hour several genres poke through, including classic jazz, 90s R&B, pop, and even some country, while nearly every instrument is utilized. Their inventiveness sonically has raised the bar when it comes to musical artistry, and their mutual respect for one another spills over into their music, thus creating the magic that is Chloe x Halle.

To listen to this enchanting album is to embark on an unforgettable journey of flawless harmonies, entering an orchestra of two; but more importantly it is to remind ourselves of two essential truths— that it’s okay to not be perfect and that we are worthy of love, even at our most ungodly hour.