Free Nationals (album)
Free Nationals is the debut album by American R&B band Free Nationals. It was released on December 13, 2019, through OBE and Empire Distribution.[1] The album features guest appearances from Mac Miller, Kali Uchis, Daniel Caesar, Anderson .Paak, T.I., JID, and MIKNNA among others. It was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
Musical style[edit]
Free Nationals has been described as classic R&B, funk and soul with a modern twist, nodding to legends like Stevie Wonder and Parliament-Funkadelic.[3]
Recording and production[edit]
The album was produced by the four Free Nationals band members. The songs were run through a tape recorder to add analogue distortion and warmth, adding to the retro feel of the album.[4] It was mixed by Callum Connor and Andrew Wuepper at The Crying Panther Studio, Los Angeles and mastered by Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace, New York City.[5][6]
Release and promotion[edit]
Background[edit]
Free Nationals announced the album in early 2018 and it was expected to be released before 2019 however the release was delayed until December 2019. The band stated in a tweet: "The real reason it was delayed was because of our rigorous touring schedule", referring to touring with fellow musician Anderson .Paak.[7] In the same tweet, the band confirmed that the release date would be December 13, 2019.
Singles[edit]
A total of five singles were released for the album throughout 2018 and 2019.[8] The first single, 'Beauty & Essex' was released on October 9, 2018.[9] 'Time' featuring Mac Miller and Kali Uchis was released on June 12, 2019.[10] It was the first posthumous release from Mac Miller and reached number 22 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.[11] 'On Sight' was released on September 20, 2019,[12] Eternal Light on October 15, 2019,[13] and Shibuya on November 8, 2019.[14]