Jalen Ngonda returns with ten-track album *Doctrine of Love*

Jalen Ngonda’s second album is out, and it arrives with a quiet confidence earned on the road. The ten tracks on *Doctrine of Love* follow two years spent opening for The Teskey Brothers and Olivia Dean, stretches of work that turned his vintage-leaning soul into something sturdier and less self-conscious.

Ngonda moved from the U.S. to Liverpool as a student and built his sound from a clear set of reference points: Motown, Stax, 60s rock ‘n’ roll. His 2023 debut *Come Around and Love Me* cut through because it never felt like cosplay. The songwriting was direct, the arrangements lean, his voice already a natural at carrying melody without strain. *Doctrine of Love* pushes that same line. Single “Anyone in Love,” released earlier this year, gave a first indication. “Train Conductor” leans into the rock ‘n’ roll side, all sharp grooves and crisp guitar, while “Hannah, What’s The Matter” puts his vocal range up front, the kind of ballad that stays grounded and avoids drifting into retro pastiche.

The production is precise, and the band’s playing keeps tracks tight. Ngonda and his collaborators don’t treat soul as a museum piece. The songs work because the melodies are memorable and the feel is unforced. There’s a breeziness here, a summer-ready ease, but it’s built on real craft. For anyone tracking a young singer finding his footing without chasing trends, this record is a clear step forward.