Almost as if to calm the impatient anticipation for his forthcoming debut album, Steve Lacy has released a new single titled “Playground,” a springy funk number that tries to weld together jangle pop with a very, very obvious Prince influence.
Lacy told Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s Beats 1 Tuesday that “Playground” was in the ballpark of his Prince and Dirty Projectors phases, and those influences are made loud and clear during the chorus, where Lacy allows his higher vocal register to run wild and converge with a warped bass line.
The Internet guitarist will release his debut solo album, Apollo XXI, on May 24 via 3QTR, and has already revealed short glimpses into the project with singles “N Side” and “Outro Freestyle.”
The single’s release comes a day after the artist debuted a video for the former half of the album closer “Outro Freestyle/4ever,” which finds Lacy making out with synth-pop darling ABRA in an intimate, one-minute-long continuous shot.
Lacy has spent the former half of the year collaborating extensively with Vampire Weekend on their latest project, Father of the Bride, appearing on and helping to produce Solange’s When I Get Home, and playing with puppies with Ezra Koenig. He’s having a decent year, in other words.
Listen to Lacy’s new single below.