Next To You

On “Next To You,” Erykah Badu and The Alchemist keep things crisp and unhurried, laying pieces side by side like puzzle shapes. The Alchemist flips an Ecstasy, Passion & Pain loop, layering dusty drums, a low-slung upright bass, and smoky Hammond B3. The mix lets every detail ring out, subtle shifts gliding under the radar. The snare snaps off, hi-hats flicker, and the organ stays low in the concoction. The upright bass plucks ebb and flow like driftwood on open water. 

Badu glides in and colors the edges, her voice stretching between playful and restless, mid-soprano with a side of smoke. She lets the hook ride, flipping “I wanna smoke blunts with you, I do / I wanna be next to you” into a line that feels equal parts promise and dare. Verses move from schoolyard nostalgia to grown-folk longing, the grin tucked in every note. As the song hits its back third, ALC drops in a subtle switch-up. Some squelchy and reverse-blooming bass growls show up. Amped guitar notes float in with a hazy, near-sitar shimmer. All the while, Erykah's "I can't think without you" chants keep circling round and round.

"Next To You" never loses its cool, coasting from start to finish. This is two pros in their element, turning hazy soul into head-nod funk and leaving the scene washed in a groove-heavy glow.