psychedelic funk singer nombe’s debut ‘they might’ve even loved me’ is an eclectic tribute to the women in his life

“I’m Oscar Wilde with with lights and chrome.”

NoMBe is not the sort of artist you can put in a box. Over 17 tracks, the singer-songwriter-producer skips from lo-fi folk to punk rock to Prince-inflected future-funk to chillwave and R&B. He credits They Might’ve Even Loved Me as a tribute to the women in his life (including his godmother, the immortal Chaka Khan), kicking off with the feminist anthem “Man Up.” As the record skips between genres and sounds, NoMBe’s skill with a hook (and some seriously sweet guitar tone) transcends his musical meandering, tying it all together in a way that could easily fall apart in another artist’s hands.

Highlights like the retro rocker “Can’t Catch Me” find NoMBe not just exploring a sound, but making it his own. While the nostalgic trip to a certain late night double feature picture show puts the spotlight on NoMBe’s guitar and voice for a truly heart-melting tribute to a highschool love. The glam-inflected “Signs” boasts one of the records strongest hooks, while “Bad Girls” is so ambitiously off-beat it’s hard not to love. Who knew the world needed some 60’s French pop by way of late 90’s God Lives Underwater with electrofunk vocals? They Might’ve Even Loved Me is electrifying and eclectic; one of those rare records that’s hard to categorize but couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else. Through the highs and lows of love, nostalgia, sex, and regret, NoMBe’s singular voice and effortless charm carries it. Stream it below on SoundCloud.