"Climax" Usher

Usher has spent the last few years on a sojourn through the world of dance-pop, mostly leaving behind the smooth R&B ballads that made him famous, so new single "Climax"—from his upcoming seventh studio album—feels like a welcome return to form. Though still employing a slinky stable of synths, the soundscape is relatively simple and muted, allowing Usher's piercing falsetto to take command. Playing on the title's double entendre, he laments a dying relationship in a sexy pillow talk tone that serves as a potent reminder of what a powerful, expressive tool his voice can be. That's the real allure here, especially during the song's striking moments of instrumental silence. A-