A decade ago, a young gospel-focused singer named Jacob Lusk made it to the final five of American Idol season 10 on the strength of his booming, layered voice that was well, unforgettable. Now with the modern cinematic R&B trio Gabriels, the Compton-native Lusk has found the vessel that is sure to vault him and multi-instrumentalist bandmates Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope to great heights. Uproxx recently named Gabriels’ Bloodline EP one of our “Best Albums That You May Have Missed” from this past winter and even the great David Byrne has cited Gabriels as a current inspiration of his. But wait… there’s more!
Today, Gabriels have just released their first new single of the year in the expansive “One And Only,” and it presents the most stacked and booming sounds from the group yet. The soul-packed number sees Lusk’s silky baritone rising above backing gospel harmonies with Motown drums, upswing strings, and lively keys. The song feels akin to contemporary R&B acts like Michael Kiwanuka and Leon Bridges, both in Lusk’s silken vocals as well in Balouzian and Hope’s fantastic arrangement. The band added in a statement that the song “is about relationships that are built on a trauma bond. As much as you can love someone and want to help each other, ultimately change and peace come from inside and the only one who can save you is yourself.”
Listen to Gabriels’ “One and Only” above.
Gabriels is a Warner Music artist. .
