…..Love him or loathe him, take him or leave him, John Legend has always been clear about his intentions and his artistry. In fact, when he dropped his debut on his 26th birthday in 2004, the title track spelled it out for all the world to hear: “I’ve got something new for you, when it hits you won’t know what to do/Relax,let me move you. Don’t resist it’s in the air, just one taste will take you there/Let it flow right through you. I know you getting tired of the same ol’ thing/But I’mma break the rules, gonna change the game.”

So, with that in mind, the seismic shift that John makes on his fourth studio CD, Love In The Future, is both unorthodox and anticipated: instead of just the expected sprawling piano-anchored ballads, hip-hop-recalling R&B jams and occasional flirtations with pop and his gospel church choir director roots, he stretches stylistically into techno, electronica and even hints of jazz and trip-hop. If you thought that 2008’s Evolver was brash, take some Dramamine before pressing ‘play’ because Legend’s latest is an even wilder ride.

Brimming with songs about the kaleidoscopic stages of finding, exploring and expressing love (likely inspired by John’s recent engagement to his longtime girlfriend, Chrissy Teigen)…..(click here for the full review at soultracks.com)