serpentwithfeet GRIP
Released Feb 16, 2024 Secretly Canadian
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 4, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. serpentwithfeet's GRIP stakes a claim at the intersection of club abandon and intimate confession, a record where dancefloor propulsion and bedroom vulnerability collide.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Lucky Me
1 critic mention
“standout 'Lucky Me', which is underscored by its finger-style guitar plucks” — DIY Magazine
Damn Gloves
3 critic mentions
“Ty Dollar $ign and Afropunk artist Yang Ya Ya bring the muscle to Baltimore club banger ‘Damn Gloves” — Hot Press
Black Air Force
1 critic mention
“Mick Jenkins throws down a stash of neo-soul on ‘Black Air Force” — Hot Press
Full critic consensus
serpentwithfeet's GRIP stakes a claim at the intersection of club abandon and intimate confession, a record where dancefloor propulsion and bedroom vulnerability collide. Critics note the album's electric highs and compact immediacy, with tracks rarely overstaying their welcome yet frequently delivering intense, fleeting euphoria. Across professional reviews the consensus score sits at 70/100 from three reviews, reflecting a mix of admiration and reservation about the record's stylistic priorities.
Reviewers consistently point to “Damn Gloves” as the LP's muscular centerpiece, praised for its propulsive beat and guest energy, while “Lucky Me”, “Black Air Force” and “Rum / Throwback” are cited as standout moments that balance falsetto tenderness, neo-soul depth and house-inflected celebration. Critics agree that the album celebrates Black queer nightlife and makes smart use of collaboration and club textures, even as some argue that stylishness occasionally outpaces sustained emotional depth. The Line of Best Fit calls several moments "good-while-it-is-on," capturing a wider feeling that the most memorable tracks trade permanence for immediacy.
Taken together, professional reviews view GRIP as an accomplished, compact collection that excels when it leans into euphoric, sensual peaks. While not pitched universally as a career-defining statement, the record's moments of tenderness and club heat make a persuasive case for its place in serpentwithfeet's catalog and answer the question of whether GRIP is worth listening to with a qualified yes: the best songs deliver both beat and heart.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Damn Gloves
Safe Word
Spades
Deep End
Rum / Throwback
Black Air Force
Hummin'
Ellipsis
Lucky Me
1 To 10
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
serpentwithfeet leans into club life and intimate moments across GRIP, where the best tracks feel both physical and celestial. The review singles out “Damn Gloves” for plunging the listener into the club with a propulsive beat and insatiable hook, and praises “Lucky Me” as a standout where falsetto vulnerability and finger-style guitar land beautifully. There is also a nod to “Rum / Throwback” as a fusion of house and EDM that helps set the record’s celebratory tone. The voice throughout frames these best tracks as joyful, sensual highlights that crystallize the album’s focus on Black, queer nightlife and tender closeness.
Key Points
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The best song, notably “Lucky Me”, is best for its vulnerable falsetto and intimate finger-style guitar.
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The album’s core strengths are its celebration of Black, queer nightlife and its balance of desire and tenderness.
Themes
Ho
Critic's Take
serpentwithfeet’s GRIP is an ode to Black queer nightlife, and its best tracks land where club energy meets intimacy. The Baltimore club banger “Damn Gloves” stands out for muscle and guest power, while “Black Air Force” brings neo-soul depth courtesy of Mick Jenkins. Duets like “Ellipsis” add a tender counterpoint, giving the record emotional span even as most songs zip by under three minutes. This is compact, impressive work that answers the question of the best songs on GRIP with both beat and heart.
Key Points
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“Damn Gloves” is the best song for its club energy and high-profile features.
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The album’s core strengths are its club-rooted production, tight running time, and striking collaborations.
Themes
Critic's Take
Noah Barker sounds ambivalent yet admiring about serpentwithfeet's GRIP, calling the opener “Damn Gloves” "uproariously fun" while suggesting the record often lives in a fleeting high rather than lasting depth. He frames “Safe Word” as a polite, global-tinged nod rather than an eclectic breakthrough, and returns to the tension between club aesthetics and intimacy throughout. The review insists GRIP can "groove you to tears" in moments, even as it settles into "good-while-it-is-on" territory, making the best tracks feel immediate, stylish, and momentary. Barker's voice is skeptical but not dismissive: the best songs are those that capture that evanescent rush, chiefly “Damn Gloves” and “Safe Word”.
Key Points
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The best song, "Damn Gloves", is celebrated for being uproariously fun and immediately pleasurable.
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The album's core strength is its stylish, ephemeral euphoria blending club aesthetics with intimate vocals.