Photo Courtesy of Genius

Sam Smith returned with their third studio album, “Love Goes,” on Friday, Oct. 30, smoothly integrating their signature slow and soulful ballads with equally soulful dance-pop tracks. The album, originally titled “To Die For,” was scheduled to drop earlier this year in May, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the singer to change their plans. However, the rebranding paid off; the album assigns each song a specific flower, a garden that shows off Smith’s range of emotions and colors. “Love Goes” is Smith’s first album after coming out as nonbinary, and their comfort with their gender identity really shines throughout.

The first track, “Young,” is an aptly titled slow and wistful ode to youth. The minimal instrumental emphasizes the reflective tone in Smith’s voice. The lyrics are surprisingly defiant – “My heavy heart pounds deep like a dagger / ‘cause I’m not afraid / to bite” – but they match how many people yearn to enjoy living their lives without being judged.

“Diamonds” is the second single from the album and a dance track. Smith sings about a materialistic ex-lover who they’re not sorry about breaking up with. The music video, which premiered on Friday, Sept. 18, shows the singer dancing alone in an empty house, happy despite what they have lost.

“Another One,” the third track, has a driving beat and lyrics that offer bitter advice to a lover who has moved on. Smith mentions having “dodged a bullet” and being glad they’re out of their life.

The first single from the album, “My Oasis,” has a feature from Nigerian artist Burna Boy, and it truly flows like water – the repeating bell-like sounds in the instrumental create a mesmerizing atmosphere for Smith’s voice to do what it does best.

“So Serious” has a catchy and upbeat melody that strongly contrasts with its sad lyrics about betrayal from a potential boyfriend and love-related mood swings. The snaps in the background drive the song and make it worth listening to on repeat.

The sixth track, “Dance (‘Til You Love Someone Else),” is the most dance-pop of all the songs on “Love Goes.” The dramatic strings heighten the chant-like chorus while Smith sings about their resolve to get over an ex. While it is a big departure from their usual sound, the track nevertheless is one of the best on the album.

“For The Lover That I Lost” is a soft piano ballad, honoring both the good and bad memories from a past love. Smith’s voice does a lot of heavy lifting here because the melody is somewhat forgettable and the lyrics are typical for a ballad, although the reference to “a dozen roses” fits nicely with the album’s flower theme.

The eighth track, “Breaking Hearts,” is a ballad with a slow build that reflects on wounds from a tumultuous relationship with a callous ex. The artist’s halting and almost stilted delivery puts space between phrases and helps drive the blunt lyrics home.

“Forgive Myself” has Smith regretting a failed past relationship. This is another minimalist ballad, but the lyrics hold an important message about needing to let go and making sure to work on yourself before trying to love someone again.

The next song, “Love Goes,” features Labrinth, whom people may know from the HBO show “Euphoria.” What sounds like a harpsichord in the beginning transitions to a triumphant brass section and then to a string-filled outro, which seems jarring, but the two singers make it work with the help of some beautifully layered harmonies.

“Kids Again,” the last track and the third single, features the artist singing over an acoustic guitar and mourning the end of childhood innocence and the freedom that comes with it. The music video, released on the same day as the album, is set at an empty carnival. The bright colors contrasted with the somewhat bleak setting perfectly capture the song’s bittersweet mood.

There are also six bonus tracks, each one a promotional single released within the past year. They serve as a small and comforting callback to Smith’s journey toward their new sound. “Dancing With A Stranger,” a collaboration with Normani, is a standout – the pair’s vocals blend well together over the song’s sensual instrumental.

Overall, “Love Goes” retains the typical Sam Smith melancholy while offering some cathartic hope for the lovelorn. The wallowing is still there, but it’s freeing, not suffocating. Smith’s iconic voice does more work than it should, but it gives the listener more time to appreciate the emotion and the technique. This album is a solid addition to Smith’s growing repertoire and definitely not one to miss out on.