As lead singer of the R&B trio Sonder, producer and vocalist Brent Faiyaz flaunted his old soul, his evocative voice holding its own against new jack swing-inspired grooves and hovering over the spare synth beats that dominated R&B in the 2010s. The Maryland native’s wounded wail gained widespread notice on “Crew”, a sparkling collaboration with the D.C. MC GoldLink that used Faiyaz’s world-weary vocal as a counterpoint to swaggering verses. His solo work bears touchstones of soul past and present—silky harmonies on “Been Away”, smooth saxes on “L.A.”—while harbouring a decidedly 21st-century melancholy.