For hopeful romantics, ‘The Art of Loving’ is Olivia Dean’s best work yet

Recommended Tracks: “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” “Let Alone The One You Love,” “Man I Need”
Similar Artists: RAYE, Amber Mark, Ashe

The sophomore slump and Olivia Dean have never met. This is clear from the get-go, as Dean’s The Art of Loving proves to be her most vulnerable — and arguably — her best work yet. Soulful and rich in melody, lyrics, and storytelling, Dean dives into love and its many forms, from romantic to self, growth, and saying goodbye.

The much-anticipated album is inspired by a winning combination of two art forms with the same name: an art exhibit by Mickalene Thomas and a novel by Bell Hooks, both titled All About Love. Both explore themes of intimacy, femininity, and affection, just to name a few that are also included in Dean’s songwriting.

The titular track begins with a delicate introduction in just shy of a minute. To set the scene, the piano leads with an almost fairytale-like instrumental, setting the stage for the remaining songs. “Something lost, something gained,” Dean sings, a soft promise of the coming journey of discovering love in all its forms.

We launch straight into the album’s lead single, “Nice To Each Other,” a laid-back and groovy plea for remaining present. Performed at this year’s Glastonbury and on The Tonight Show, the single remains a setlist staple. “I don’t know where the switches are, or where you keep the cutlery” is such an incredible way to express the newness of a relationship. It’s even a potential callback and contrast to Dean’s 2024 stand-alone single, “Touching Toes,” where she says, “He’s over more and more / Had to give him a whole drawer.”

Embracing femininity and a beautiful lack of control, “Lady Lady” centers around Mother Nature’s ever-changing presence and how, like the seasons, we evolve and change just as things get comfortable. “Close Up” shifts the mood. With its mysterious piano keys, it is almost in direct opposition to “Nice To Each Other.” She asks, “Do you even see me?” with a sharp metaphor, a close-up forcing us to see things as they are, even if we don’t want to.

“So Easy To Fall In Love” is an early standout and possibly one of the album’s most infectious tracks (don’t worry, I know we didn’t get to “Man I Need” yet). Describing herself as a “perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life,” the confidence pours out and fills up her own cup. The twinkling piano before the final chorus adds such magic alongside Dean’s smooth, buttery vocals. “Let Alone The One You Love” grounds things after a high, layering in a much-appreciated saxophone as well as reflection in equal measure. It explores the change in people, even if change isn’t always for the better.

Bright synths and bouncing piano keys make it clear that “Man I Need” is made for dancing in your kitchen (or maybe someone else’s). Audiences have taken a liking to the album’s third single—so much so that it earns Dean her first career entry on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 1 in Ireland, Belgium, and New Zealand. Bold and flirty, the single is a testament to knowing your worth and asking for what you want.

“I’m not leaving, just feel tightly squeezed in / Love needs breathing,” Dean explains. Exasperated, a lesson learned, “Something In Between” asks if there may still be room for a relationship of sorts. Reminiscent of “Ladies Room” from Dean’s 2023 album Messy, both songs describe the delicate balance of opening up to someone new while still maintaining your personhood and preserving your own space.

One of the album’s most sonically dramatic moments, with fingerpicked guitar and building violins, contrasts well with the ideas of silence and miscommunication. “Loud” has one of the most affecting lines: “Four hands at the piano,” in stark contrast to the realization at the end, “Here I am, two hands at the piano.” But as if to rebuild, “Baby Steps” leans into a Latin-inspired groove, recovering from a breakup. “Now there’s no one to text when the plane lands,” she sings, a deeply relatable feeling of loneliness. However, it doesn’t linger on the negative, with other lyrics later declaring, “I won’t fall back / If I fall forward.”

Dreamy and nostalgic, vintage violins and electric guitars color a moment of unexpected reconnection. Whilst affection remains, the distance does too. “A Couple Minutes” is so deep in the pocket, deep into the past. We get another facet to the art of loving, wherein “Love’s never wasted when it’s shared.”

Landing on “I’ve Seen It,” the song is truly a breath of fresh air, complete with birdsong in the background. “The more you look, the more you find / It’s all around you all the time,” Dean sings. Less a song and more a poem, the conclusion of the album is so utterly fitting. Love is everywhere and in all forms: romantic, platonic, fleeting, and maybe, if you’re lucky enough, forever.

The Art of Loving is Olivia Dean’s most cohesive and emotionally resonant project yet. It’s a project that sings not just about love, but dissects it, honors it, and even questions it. Musically, it is rich and varied, dipping into jazz, soul, pop, Latin influences, and acoustic textures without ever losing its thread. Each song flows into the next with a grace that’s sometimes messy, but always intentional, much like the art of loving itself.

The Art of Loving is not an in-your-face album, and Olivia Dean is not an in-your-face musician. Through her sophomore album, Dean demonstrates that beauty is found in all places and faces, especially in the quiet moments in between.