Marlowe, the alt rap dyad of L’Orange and Solemn Brigham, are back with Royal. On the new single, the duo enlists esteemed lyricists Joell Ortiz and Blu for an exhibition of elite-level rhyming. Royal is the heavy hitting follow up to Past Life, which was featured on BBC6’s Song of the Day! Royal is the second release taken from the duo’s highly-anticipated new album, Marlowe 3, due out October 28th on Mello Music Group.
On Royal, we see Solemn Brigham, Blu, and Joell Ortiz, trade bars over an epic instrumental provided by L’Orange. The production is high-energy and charismatic, a mise en scene for the three rap titans to deliver remarkable performances. L’Orange explains his approach to the production on the track, “This is the most traditional song on the record. Normally I get very involved in my production and change the beat up a ton but for this one I wanted to get out of the way of the rappers and let them do what they do best.”
Marlowe is a rap duo, a sonic underworld of psychedelic beats and breakneck flows that hit with wig-splitting force. A collaboration between producer/mad writer L’Orange and rap prodigy Solemn Brigham, Marlowe has set their own standard for Hip-Hop internationally. The two creative partners and longtime friends from North Carolina have released two critically-acclaimed albums, headlining US & UK tours and capturing the attention of fans worldwide.
Marlowe 3 is a culmination of the growth the duo has had from their previous projects and tours. Everything from the writing to the production changed in a way with both Solemn and L’Orange completely retooling their studios throughout the creation of the project. L’Orange states, “This album feels like a maturity to who we are as a group. We set out to make something that was big, energetic, fun and explosive and I feel like we did that without losing control. I feel like Solemn and I are the best we’ve ever been.”
Following Marlowe 2, the duo embarked on a sold out 2021 UK tour. The new album is heavily influenced by their time spent touring in the UK. Solemn explains, “Spending time in the UK gave us a lot to draw from and made me want to give back to the people who showed love. Seeing the effect that we’ve had on people in person gives me the sense that Marlowe is more than just the two of us now and I pull from that as well.”
In 2016, L’Orange underwent two ear surgeries which drastically impaired his hearing. Marlowe 3 is the first album L’Orange has mixed since going completely deaf in his right ear. He says, “I’m finally to the point where I feel comfortable adjusting to this new life. It’s been 10 years since the last one I mixed and I feel really good about doing it myself.”
After Marlowe’s first two albums, the self-titled Marlowe and Marlowe 2, the group received critical acclaim, garnering album of the year awards from the likes of BBC6, Yahoo! Entertainment and Amoeba Music as well as debuting as the #1 hip-hop album in the UK on iTunes. The group’s music has been featured in TV, film, podcasts, & videogames. Notably, their song “Future Power Sources” was featured in Gatorade’s “Greatness Starts With G” campaign, which aired during the 2021 Olympics, NBA finals, and NHL Stanley Cup. Their song “Fred Sanford” soundtracked a 7-11 commercial directed by Harmony Korine. They’ve also been featured on Fox Sports NFL and ESPN productions, as well as in massive video games like NBA 2K22, Saints Row, and Fortnite.
The alt rap dyad L’Orange and Solemn Brigham showcase immense growth and maturity both individually and as a collective, making Marlowe 3 their best release to date and a superlative completion to the trilogy. Marlowe 3 is due for release October 28th on Mello Music Group.
Order/Stream: https://orcd.co/marlowe3
L’Orange
Solemn Brigham
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Mello Music Group
Related Posts
Kmawa And William Wallace Team Up For “On the Low”
