On “Love You More,” SOTB newcomer ZOUNA lets listeners know one thing right off the bat: she’s serious about who she loves, how she loves them and how much she loves them. Based out of the Central African country of Gabon, the singer-songwriter’s vocals are, in a word, beautiful. Throughout “Love,” she reminds me most of all of a Goapele or Marcia Ambrosius with the way she blends her vocals in with the production. She also has a bit of a SZA feel as well with how blues-y her vocals can sound (in other words, you hear all of the feels). Take all that, add in a rapped verse and you may be teleported back to the 2000s or early 2010s.

The overall energy for “LYL” is something that you will want to check out if you’re looking for the right way to say “I luh u booski” without saying the usual “I luh u booski.” At times, you may need to announce your love for someone (to that someone) loudly and proudly. That’s mainly what ZOUNA does with the to-the-point songwriting and lyrics here. Overall, this is definitely a track you’ll feel in your soul.

Sure, Valentine’s Day was almost two months ago. But, love is universal and appreciated year-round around these parts. If you need a new slower neo-soul jam to incorporate into your mix, I think that this one is the one for you. Check it out below and remember to support dope music in all its forms.