This is the sophomore effort from Baltimore, Maryland singer/songwriter & producer Nourished by Time a.k.a. Marcus Brown. Beginning under the original monikers Riley with Fire & Mother Marcus until sticking with his current name, he would go on to drop his debut EP Erotic Priobotic followed by the sequel in the spring of 2023 & sign to XL Recordings a year later. His previous EP Catching Chickens would arrive a couple months later, preluding The Passionate Ones nearly 6 weeks after Justin Bieber experimented with bedroom pop over the course of his 7th album Swag in light of him becoming a father.

“Automatic Love” sets up shop in the form of this synthpop intro singing about being loved in a way he’s never known previously whereas “Idiot in the Park” soothingly desires a type of romance that’ll leave him with scars, vocally throwing it back to the days of the late King of Hooks Nate Dogg on certain occasions. The lead single “Max Potential”blends bedroom pop, neo-psychedelia, hypnagogic pop, synthpop, dream pop singing about the stabilization of affection while “It’s Time” admits the only 2 things he has are baggage & a vision of love.

After the “Cult” interlude, the 2nd single “9 2 5”brings together elements of deep house, outsider house, freestyle music & Jersey club singing about life being hateful when that couldn’t be any more accurate regarding the state of the world in 2025 just before the peppy synthpop tune “Crazy People” kicks off the 2nd half of The Passionate Ones suggesting that the insane doesn’t flat out admit it openly. “Jojo” featuring Tony Bontana works in some bass guitar licks singing about never being any worse while the 3rd & final single “Baby Baby” mixes new wave, experimental hip hop, neo-psychedelia, synthpop, Atlanta bass, electro & political hip hop comparing the murder of Freddie Gray to the ongoing Gaza genocide.

“Tossed Away” begins the LP’s final act incorporating some heavy synthesizers with a Stevie Wonder twist to it feeling disillusioned by many Americans having difficulty of paying rent & buying groceries due to everything becoming more expensive while “The War’s Over” sings over a piano instrumental that the only case scenario of him surrendering is if the woman he’s addressing gets with him. The neo-psychedelic title track finishes with one of the most gratifying outros I’ve heard all year, skillfully tying up all loose ends culminating it’s core themes & prominent sounds feeling like he’s lost his reflection or pondering if the future will be in his favor.

Laying out the blueprint for building your own altar in the ruins of the American Dream, what Nourished by Time has done for the bedroom pop subgenre of indie pop in the 45 minutes The Passionate Ones has to offer is far more groundbreaking than Swag earlier this summer & could go down amongst the greatest albums to ever come from that style of music. Marcus’ production further explores alternative R&B, neo-psychedelia, hypnagogic pop, synthpop, sophisti-pop, UK street soul, deep house, outsider house, freestyle music, Jersey club, dream pop, experimental hip hop, Atlanta bass & electro powerfully tackling subjects including love or labor & everyday existential pressure.

Score: 4.5/5

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