Album Review: Chloe x Halle Ring in the ‘Ungodly Hour’
Chloe x Halle reclaim their power and define their artistry in their best album yet.
Written by Delaney Davis
Photo courtesy of Robin Harper
Seven years ago, R&B duo Chloe x Halle uploaded their cover of Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” to YouTube and captured the attention of the world — and of Queen Bey herself. While sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey are lucky enough to be mentored by the superstar, their latest release, Ungodly Hour, is completely individual and solidifies their status as powerhouse songwriters and producers in their own right.
While their first album The Kids Are Alright saw the pair coming into their own, Ungodly Hour shows the culmination of that growth. Backed by darker beats and upbeat tempos, Chloe x Halle harness their power and triumphantly navigate the intersections of love, sexuality, and empowerment over 13 artfully produced tracks.
The album’s introduction, aptly titled “Intro,” sets the tone for the entire work. Amidst the sisters’ signature luscious vocals, Chloe forcefully cautions the audience, “Don’t ever ask for permission — ask for forgiveness,” before the audio transitions to the album’s opener, “Forgive Me.” Don’t be mistaken. Despite the song’s title, Chloe x Halle are not asking for forgiveness but rather asserting control over their own lives. While a pulsating, dark trap beat churns and chugs, the singers convey a simple message to a lover that’s wronged them: they simply aren’t bothered. “So forgive me, forgive me / I been goin’ too hard in your city / So forgive me because I’m not teary / Best believe I’ll move onto better things,” Halle unapologetically coos, even her angelic vocals failing to soften the song’s defiant message.
The next song, “Baby Girl,” is a classic female empowerment song that could easily be grouped with the more positive tracks on The Kids Are Alright. The song’s production is minimalistic, with a simple bouncing rhythm accentuated by snapping beats that allow the lyrics’ message to take center stage. “Baby Girl” ends with a call to women everywhere: “So don’t you forget about / The little girl that you met now / The one that’s in your spirit / She’s still got your back, yeah.” Chloe x Halle then bless us with the album’s smash single, “Do It,” which would be the perfect club song if clubbing wasn’t a health hazard right now. Not only has the song inspired its own dance craze, but it is full of the fast-paced tempos and care-free lyrics found in any club banger. In a parallel universe, “Do It” would be blaring at the pre-game, the game itself, and the post-game.
Produced entirely by older sister Chloe, “Tipsy” is a laid-back earworm that quickly cements its position as one of the records’s standout songs. Atop an acoustic beat tinged with a slight country influence, the sisters warn their lovers about what exactly will happen should they be hurt. It’s refreshing to see the pair embrace both madness and rebellion, departing from the squeaky clean image many are often quick to assign to them. This is a common theme throughout the album — Ungodly Hour is full of multiple explicit songs while their previous release had none.
“I'll take you to the afterlife
Boy, if you ain't actin' right
Key your car and crash the lights
Hit your head, I'm not polite
Then I'll hunt down your family
Let 'em know 'bout the tragedy
Who did it? A mystery
But you know that it, it was me, yeah”
Image courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records
By far, though, Chloe x Halle’s growth as women and musicians is most apparent on the album's titular track. Rather than focusing on reclaiming their power after heartbreak, the duo opts for vulnerability, shining a spotlight on their romantic interests issues with commitment. “When you decide you like yourself (Holler at me) / When you decide you need someone (Call up on me) / When you don’t have to think about it / Love me at the ungodly hour,” the two harmonize, ridding themselves of the disappointment of unmet expectations. Dreamy vocals match equally smooth instrumentals — the song achieves the best of both worlds with masterful, poetic songwriting complemented by catchy pulses and rhythms.
For those in need of a reminder of their own worth, “Lonely” is a must for your queue. Whether you’re feeling isolated in quarantine or grappling with feelings of loneliness following a breakup, Chloe x Halle are quick to remind you that “it don’t have to be lonely being alone.” The track, placed with the other more vulnerable songs on the album (“Overwhelmed,” “Don’t Make it Harder on Me,” and “Wonder What She Thinks of Me”) is a feel-good, pick-me-up song that contrasts against the album’s more fierce cuts.
“ROYL,” which stands for “The Rest of Your Life,” is the perfect album closer, both in sound and theme. Regrouping after the record’s more emotional, ballad-like songs, the sisters turn again toward trap beats and proclamations of power. Urging the listener to simply live their lives to the fullest, the duo chants, “Won’t you live tonight? (For the rest of your life) / Could be paradise (Never know ‘til you try).” After telling us about their journey over the past few years, Chloe x Halle feel ready to invite us along for the rest of the ride, and “ROYL” is that invitation.
From song covers on YouTube to record deals with Parkwood Entertainment, Chloe x Halle have always remained true to themselves and their artistry, and that commitment certainly pays off in Ungodly Hour. The album is more than their best release so far — it is a peek into the level of polish and poise we can expect to see in the future work. Even at the young ages of 20 and 22, the duo isn’t holding back. And why should they? It’s their world — we’re just living in it.