‘Handle’ is unmistakably one of our favorite musical moments of 2026. To say the cheerful banger got us excited for Ravyn Lenae’s third studio album would be an understatement. On top of the excitement created by this era itself, we still keep coming back to her 2024 release Bird’s Eye. The album showcased the number of genres she can tackle within one project without ever losing her signature angelic sound, as well as her incredible ability to make the project as a whole sound cohesive. Backed up with this knowledge, we dive into the world that is Blue Island.
Our hope to find tracks that could be siblings to ‘Handle’ is answered quickly. We love a tune that starts with an alarm, remember the iconic ‘Headache’ on JADE’s debut album? A massive pop song ringing the alarm from the get-go is always a sign that good things are awaiting. Ravyn’s ‘In & Out’ is no exception to this rule. There is a certain chaos to the song that feels so good. The way the production takes you on a whirlwind into the chorus, with the singer playfully singing up and down, has us all ears.
Besides the previously released Dominic Fike collaboration ‘Reputation’, we are treated to one more guest appearance on the album. None other than Doechii jumps on the perfect ‘Babygirl’. The duo is one that just makes sense. Both female performers know exactly who they are and what they can do to empower each other’s strengths. While Ravyn takes the lead, letting the listener float towards the arrival of the ‘Denial Is A River’ hitmaker, the rapper stays calm and composed, perfectly matching her energy.
We love how Ravyn tricks us into believing there is a beautiful, peaceful ballad awaiting us near the end of the album. ‘Find It One Day’ starts off as a soft acoustic song, allowing space for the singer to let her voice shine. Don’t be fooled, though. Around the 1:15 mark, a glossy, disco-inspired beat enters the song. Not in an overpowering, upbeat way that would erase her angelic voice, but rather in a way that lets you fly high through the song. Something about this makes us wish we could hear it loud in a dark room with nothing more than a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
On this project, the singer tried to let go of what traditional R&B means to her. “I was raised in R&B, so I’m not rejecting that in any sense… But, in hindsight, I placed a lot of weird expectations and rules on what it had to be.” No more pressure on herself for Blue Island. Instead, she welcomes velvety, ’80s-inspired pop and indie-rock sounds to join the party. She obviously has never been a stranger to experimenting with genres wherever possible, but she yet again gets to show us that the sky is the limit when you have a talented ear for music like Ravyn does.
To make sure her statement doesn’t get lost, she takes her sound to its most experimental ever on the closing track of the album. ‘Let Us In’ goes to places we have never heard her go before. An electronic, almost distorted production interrupts her falsetto and pitch-perfect lyrical delivery. It’s a sound that feels unfamiliar to her, but wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dijon album. Hearing this right at the end almost feels as if she is subtly hinting at a new era and sound for a future fourth studio album.