Flanked by a cast of collaborators including Lil Silva, Twin Shadow, Sampha and Mr. Mitch, Duval Timothy’s "Help" uses brushstrokes of jazz, R&B, soul, piano miniatures, found sound, spoken word and silence to paint a picture of intimacy, and work through the reality of how things don’t always get better.
"Help", Timothy’s fourth album, is a beautiful and compelling listen. It feels well-worn. Right from the jump, the opening 'Next Tomorrow' has this curious familiarity. It doesn’t strike you as a song that was released in August. No, it seems to hold court with more prestige than that, as if you’re booting up a 1950s modal jazz staple, or, say, getting the tingles as 'Start' slides into 'Thinkin Bout You' on "Channel Orange". Across the record are recurrences of similar déjà vu, which suggests either Timothy is speaking to universal truths, penning timeless music, or both.