Los Angeles duo and R&B staple THEY. recruit Young Bleu for “In The Mood”, a decisively charismatic single that upholds their reputation as one of the genre’s most forward-thinking creatives. Taunting and unapologetic, the nostalgia in the music and accompanying video bridges the gap between generations of R&B. THEY., composed of the talents of Dante Jones and Drew Love, are hardly defined by the bounds of the genre they inhabit. The chorus is hypnotizing, bolstered by the subtle bounce ingrained in the beat, and Young Bleu sounds as comfortable as ever in this environment. All of these characteristics make “In The Mood” an on-repeat candidate, and a must-have for any and all R&B playlists. “We wanted to make something smooth that still had that knock to it, kinda like the uptempo joints that Donell Jones was known for back in the day,” the duo commented. “Yung Bleu heard an early version of the record and sent back one of our favorite verses we’ve ever had on one of our records.

The video is another call back to that 00’s era, channeling that Bad Boy records energy. Shout out Shomi Patwary for helping to bring that vision to life.” Patwary serves as director of the video, an honorable homage to the era referenced explicitly by THEY. and implicitly through the track itself. “In The Mood” marks THEY.’s return to releasing music after several years of laying low. They return in remarkable fashion, even if their fashion is most emblematic of a time more than two decades past.

THEY.’s innovation transcends sound: the two walked away from the major label system in an effort to preserve their artistic integrity, a move that is paying off in real time. “In The Mood” is set as the lead single for their reclamation project Nü Moon, due out on April 7. The duo is sure to impress on their first LP since 2020, having taken this time to bring their priorities more into focus. What’s most important to them bleeds into their recordings, an honest and true reflection of themselves sure to resonate with listeners in a variety of contexts. Talent attracts talent, evident in the fact that THEY.’s work has spanned the industry. THEY. have become valued contributors to stars like Rihanna, BTS, Kasey Musgraves, and FKA twigs; they’ve also hosted names like Jessie Reyez, Ty Dolla $ign, Jeremih, and Juicy J on their own projects. As captivating as THEY. have been in their career so far, Nü Moon promises to elevate the highs the duo has delivered on time and time again.

‍