Smooth neo-soul rap for navigating the rough patches of romance. Songwriters tend to draw their most dramatic inspiration from either falling in or out of love, but on his second album, LA singer, rapper, and Kendrick collaborator Blxst is fixated on an often unexplored space: the struggle to keep relationships from slipping into routine. “Love is more than a feeling—it’s actual labor, it’s showing up,” he declares atop the brief keyboard doodle that opens Labor of Love, and he spends the next 12 tracks putting in the work. The smooth neo-soul “Something Bout It” addresses the inevitable rough patches of long-term companionship, but celebrates the fortitude required to keep on keepin’ on (“Even though we fuss and we fight/We forgive every time”); the finger-snapped acoustic lullaby “Outside” recognizes that true love means occasionally canceling your Saturday night plans for a night in. But Labor of Love is more than just a couples counseling session set to chill beats. It’s also a catalyst for Blxst’s own self-improvement journey: On “Work,” he conjures memories of his loving but absentee father to reaffirm his commitment to always be there for his own kids.