The Virginia artist’s new single speaks to his ever-evolving artistry.

Greek is back.

The elusive Virginia artist has returned with a fresh reminder of his influence as one of the most captivating names in R&B’s underground. His newest single, “2:35 AM,” is as raw and emotional as one would expect from an artist of his caliber.

The release follows a resurgence in the popularity of greek’s debut album EXTC thanks to fan-favorite track “hmu” gaining traction online. Along with the conclusion of the recent tour for his sophomore album ACCELERATOR, old and new listeners alike are eagerly awaiting the next major installment in his discography.

Greek recently released the single “OCTOBER/HERO,” containing the explosive “OCTOBER” on the A-side and the mellow “HERO” on the B-side. The tracks sound reminiscent of ACCELERATOR while hinting at a brand-new sound coming to the forefront. Now, that vision has been realized with the release the new single.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

We had the pleasure of catching greek at the Durham stop of the recent ACCELERATOR tour. This was somewhat of a homecoming show for him, as he previously lived in North Carolina while working on music with Weston Estate.

The night opened with performances from Charlotte’s very own Biking With Francis alongside a mysterious instrumental ambient act known simply as The Open. The anticipation for greek to take the stage only grew as the night went on, and short conversations with fellow listeners in the audience only added fuel to the excitement.

Greek took the stage to massive applause from the crowd. He ran through the first half of ACCELERATOR in chronological order before taking a detour to hit “OCTOBER/HERO” and several cuts from EXTC. The set was both captivating at its highest energy moments and mesmerizing at its calmest. His vocals shined through with an emotional performance of “STRANGER,” and he made sure to use every corner of the stage while dancing around to “VIRGINIA CREEPER.” The night closed out with an encore of “DANCE” as greek stepped down to meet fans in the audience.

The show was as incredible as one might expect from greek. To those who have listened to him for a long while, this was only a teaser of what is yet to come.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

Sonically, “2:35 AM” is a massive step forward for greek. Maybe it’s the infectious groove of the bassline (a signature sign that you’re listening to a greek song), or it’s the droning synths that consume the latter half of the track. There’s also an addictive beatswitch at the end that sounds unlike anything he has ever made.

In true greek fashion, “2:35 AM” is visually car-centered. The promotional visuals were shot at the infamous Martinsville Speedway, a center of American car culture. ACCELERATOR dealt with the same imagery and themes, with some tour dates being backed by videos of old dirttrack races and a keyboard donned in a checkered flag. “2:35 AM” captures the same magic but builds on it in the best way.

It’s incredible. It’s angsty. It’s yearning through every corner of that long drive to Atlanta while the beat is grooving infectiously through the straightaways. Lyrics like “I need you more than you’ll ever know,” are felt in the heart as much as the emotion in his voice. It is raw in the best way possible, and sonically mindblowing.

If this is the new standard for greek’s music, then consider us at attention.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)