Navy Blue takes yet another step forward with “The Sword and the Soaring”

Sage Elsesser, aka Navy Blue, is the definition of an artist who operates without any gimmicks. He’s been known throughout his career as a deeply poetic lyricist with a lo-fi, abstract sound that incorporates rich vocal samples, soulful atmosphere, and a spoken-word delivery that grips the listener and brings them into the Navy Blue universe. His most recent release, The Sword and the Soaring, is a fine return to form and can be marked down as one of Navy Blue’s finest works to date.

There’s a cohesion present throughout the entire record that feels somewhat rare in today’s world, in which singles dominate, and in which many are left questioning if people still have the attention spans to follow the themes of an entire record from start to finish. Navy Blue’s command of his craft and his clear confidence in his own voice make it so that there’s no other option but to approach the record as a cohesive whole. The Sword and the Soaring unfolds like a single, continuous exhalation. There’s not a single weak song on display, and each re-listen feels not just rewarding but necessary—the record begs to be devoured over repeated listenings.

Opener “The Bloodletter” sets the emotional tone; “I’m shedding light on all that’s bottled in and got a stench/ I caught a whiff of death in moments I would call intense”. Over a restrained, piano-led instrumental, Navy Blue delivers some of the record’s most reflective writing—“Gazing at the mirror ain’t a place to vent”—balancing grit and vulnerability with remarkable control. It’s cathartic without necessarily being bombastic, but there’s a propulsion in its restraint, buoyed by Navy Blue’s evocative lyrical prowess. “Orchards” slips in seamlessly and nudges the tempo upward. Its classic hip-hop pulse gives Navy Blue room to unbottle himself. “It’s hard to fill the shoes of who you’ve never been,” he raps, before following with the kind of distilled truth that defines his writing: “In this wicked world you’re hunting, or you’re gathering… We were dealt so many losses that we gotta win.” 

Cover and above images, courtesy of the artist. Photo credit: @campfloggnaw, @aldenbonecutter, @dantevelasquezjr

With “God’s Kingdom,” he leans into that soulful sample palette he’s always gravitated toward. It’s evocative and grounded, a throwback without feeling derivative. The beat itself is intentionally restrained, never quite exploding, which leaves space for Navy’s voice to act as the propulsion. You get the sense he’s not performing so much as bearing witness to his own interior world. “Sunlight of the Spirit” pushes forward with a sense of grounded resiliency (“I heard that karma is a roadmap/ all the air that my lungs get/ I say the heart is where the home at”), while “Guardadas” is one of the record’s most striking moments—meditative, emotional, and gorgeously lush. “I just want a little peace and some recognition,” he admits, and the line lands gently but powerfully. There’s a spiritual weight to the track, like many on the record, and it stands out as one of the prettiest songs on the album.

“Kindred Spirit” brings in warm, jazzy saxophone textures, while “Illusions” shifts into something almost ambient. The track moves gently, nearly dissolving at the edges but still carrying a sense of forward motion, like a breath held and released. It’s corny to reference a painter with a canvas, but that really feels like how he approaches each track. “If Only” is another standout, with couplets that would stand out as highlights on most records appearing left and right, as if Navy Blue is grasping them out of thin air. “I’ve been lonely ever since I was a little boy/ there’s only so much I can do with this voice…having boundaries don’t mean that I ran/shedding tears don’t make me less of a man”. The track’s funky bassline adds some juice that further expands the sonic lens of the record.

“24 Gospel” featuring Earl Sweatshirt feels like a classic from the first second, a true throwback instrumental with vinyl fuzz and an organ that lends weight to the cathartic vibes of Navy Blue and Earl. “Imagine if I didn’t rap?” Navy ponders. It would sure suck for us if he didn’t. He can hold his own with anybody lyrically, and The Sword and the Soaring is yet another step that goes a long way in further establishing Navy Blue as an exciting voice in rap.

Navy Blue tour dates

Dec 3 – Mary’s Underground, Sydney, Australia 
Dec 4 – Forecourt, Sydney Opera House, Australia
Dec 6 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, Australia
Dec 9 – Metro City, Perth, Australia
Feb 19 – Thalia Hall, Chicago, US
Feb 21 – History, Toronto, Canada
Feb 22 – Beanfield Theatre, Montreal, Canada
Feb 24 – Royale Boston, Boston, US
Feb 26 – The Fillmore, Washington, D.C., US
Feb 27 – Brooklyn Paramount, New York, US
Mar 3 – Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, US
Mar 5 – The Novo, Los Angeles, US