Straight No Chaser

With an urbane sense of style, Mr. Ben Hudson mixes old-fashioned songwriting craft and contemporary techno flash on Straight No Chaser. Bolstered by the high-profile support of Kanye West, he sketches the details of romantic dysfunction with a slightly genteel touch (spiced with strategic four-letter words). Hudson matches his lyrics with crisp, kinetic arrangements that combine skittering hip-hop beats with ‘80s-style synthesized atmospherics. The fusion yields tracks charged with intrigue and angst, with Hudson’s yearning, often Auto-Tuned vocals kept tightly in the spotlight. Whether he’s collecting himself after a violent argument (“Stiff Upper Lip”), confronting a rival (“Anyone But Him”) or coming to terms with heartache (“There Will Be Tears”), Hudson displays a keener emotional intelligence than most of his peers. On a musical level, the obsessive “Supernova” is high-order urban pop with a glittering finish. “White Lies” is a particular highpoint, recalling the erotic thump of the early Police.