Nicholas Ryan Gant announced his album Restore in the fall of 2021 when he gave the world the lead single “Heal The Land.” The song felt like a much-needed balm for a world still reeling from the global pandemic. Since then, Restore has been gestating with the singer as he bided his time for the set’s release. Now that the world is undoubtedly in need of another healing, the performer has released the set at the perfect time.
Nicholas, known for his precise, soaring vocals, opts for a mellow mood throughout the length of Restore as he explores themes of love, healing, resistance and finding peace within oneself. What’s most interesting is that the set is arranged around shorter songs that focus on vocal harmonies. These tracks seem almost like lullabies as they offer life lessons and mantras to hold onto. These are also where you’ll find most of the album’s female guests — Kennedy Kennedy (“Human Being”), Sy Smith (“Rest Rest”), Amma Whatt (“Love Is All Around”) and Carmen Rodgers (“Dreams”) — and they are used to great effect to blend beautifully with Nicholas’ own vocal textures.
But it’s the fuller songs that hold most of the album’s weight as they offer encouragement. The aforementioned “Heal The Land” offers a divine message as it urges us to seek a higher power in order to right the ills of the world. “Grow Where You Plant,” meanwhile, advises us to take root where you are and bloom in spite of the environments that nurture us. It’s looming, hip-hop-influenced beat also spawns a dynamic feature from rapper Sa-Roc, who kicks rhymes meant to inspire listeners to branch out toward their destinies. “Confidence Key” gives modern Stevie Wonder vibes while Nicholas and guest rappers Jeary Sylves and Suede Jury give us reasons to believe in ourselves.
The singer only speaks to the personal on two of Restore’s songs, its title track and “Kindness For Weakness.” Both deal with heartbreak, though from different perspectives. “Restore” has a slightly jazzy swing as Nicholas gives first-class vocals while wondering if he’ll ever recover his joy after a short-lived love affair left him feeling depleted. “Kindness For Weakness,” however, goes darker with a minimal synth arrangement. He still taps into a jazzy vocal here, though, with him giving butter-smooth runs and riffs while conveying the hurt and loneliness felt when someone takes advantage of love given wholeheartedly.
The best moment in an album full of great ones is, of course, the closer “Just Us” featuring Kamauu. Once again relying on mostly vocal harmonies, the requiem addresses the plight of Black America as they keep the good fight going against a system that insists on oppression and erasure of their contribution. It’s both quietly defiant and reassuring as it encourages the listener to stand in their power and fight on.
Restore might be the standout album in the discography of Nicholas Ryan Gant, as it takes its concept and delivers on it in meaningful and engaging ways. It also showcases the artist at his best as he paints pictures with not only his words but also with textured vocal harmonies that are simply mesmerizing. In a world that seems hell-bent on robbing us of our peace of mind, Restore is a welcome respite.
Nicholas Ryan Gant Restore [Amazon][Apple Music][Bandcamp][TIDAL]
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