Summer is nigh and so too is the release of Ne-Yo‘s newest album ‘Good Man.’

So it’s fitting that the soulful chanteur has unwrapped a song named… ‘Summertime.’

Produced by Tane Runo and J-Hill, the track may read like an club jam on paper, but R&B’s gentleman drives in a somewhat different direction.

Take a listen below…

While we were anticipating a dance-bop, this skews more top-down, riding slow solo.

Melodically and vocally (especially the harmonies, backgrounds, and arrangement) the song is familiar Ne-Yo fare. Production-wise, though, it’s maturer take on his established sound.

If its the Urban A/C audience he’s courting this go round, then he may be on to something with this. And that may in all truth be the smartest play for him at this juncture.

It’s been 3 years since his last album, during which time he’s largely been absent from the music scene. And even before then, his latter flirtations with EDM and “Pitbull-Pop” raised eyebrows from the R&B corner of his fanbase.

Put simply, time and (mainstream) audiences wait for no one. Hence, he’s technically in a position of trying to re-establish his position in the contemporary music landscape.

So again, pivoting to please his now older core would be a great play.

Your thoughts?