Steve Lacy is counting down the weeks until the release of his upcoming album Oh yeah? later this month. The singer-songwriter has given us the singles “nice shoes” and “the feeling,” but he has more to offer before the set’s release. To that effect, he taps our girl SZA to ask “is it cool?” on his latest single.
Co-produced by Steve and his The Internet homie Matt Martians, the song is a pretty direct and honest look at Steve and his role in relationships. That kind of vulnerability doesn’t call for extravagant measures, so the sound bed here is composed of simple synths, programmed drums and the occasional whine of electric guitar to keep things emotional and interesting. This approach keeps the song’s lyrics front and center so that Steve and SZA can shine.
“is it cool?” feels like a confessional for Lacy, who begins the track by addressing his propensity to cheat and how that may have been influenced by his father dying when he was young. The revelations come pretty steadily from there, with Steve talking about his desire for commitment and the lack of follow-through that keeps him from attaining it. And though he wouldn’t blame his lover for leaving, he brings up what, to him, might be a saving grace.
“You ain’t gotta trust me to love me, baby / Yeah, you ain’t gotta trust me to love me, baby,” he sings on the chorus. “Yeah, ’cause I don’t even trust myself.”
SZA slides in on the back half of the song, acting more like his voice as he speaks directly to his boo. “Being vulnerable is exhausting, babe / Can we get naked instead of talking, babe?” she asks during the second verse. “I ain’t trippin’, we both got options, babe / Keep coming back, I guess we’re both insane.” But her biggest role comes as the song closes, with her asking the titular question among others about trust and vulnerability.
This one is quite the lowkey collaboration, but it serves the song well. And with SZA being only one of two guests featured on the Oh yeah? (the other is Erykah Badu), we think that she is utilized just right here. But you don't have to take our word for it. Hear what happens when Steve Lacy and SZA collide by giving "is it cool?" a spin below.
