You have to applaud Steve Lacy for his consistent delivery of bold statements. On August 15th, 2025, a beautiful combination of jungle-beats, alternative R&B, and soulful melodic harmonies was released under the name of “Nice Shoes”, by the one and only, Steve Lacy. I’ve heard many mixed reviews on this song that is meant to tease his new, upcoming album, “Oh Yeah?”.
As a huge fan of his work, it’s incredibly exciting to hear the first song off his new album. This takes me back to when he released “Mercury” to soft-launch his 2022 album, “Gemini Rights”. This happens to be my favorite song of the album, so I’m tending to follow a trend with his music because I’ve had “Nice Shoes” on repeat for some time now. I really enjoy the energetic intro in combination with the bold lyrics. It’s very pleasing and addicting, creating a hook that keeps you glued to your headphones while listening. I tend to gravitate towards more energetic music so this fits right up alley! There are a couple songs and even features that he’s involved with, that produce the same feeling that the jungle-beat present within the song. But its beyond ecstatic to see something of this scale since I would argue that this new song of his has a distinct sound compared to his older music. I would admit his “Apollo XXI” album includes some tracks that fall under the Breakbeat category.
I’ve heard the complaints about the randomness of the music, mainly the beat switch that is heard a couple minutes into the song. Music is very opiniated so I completely understand. For me personally, it meshes so well and is a perfect way to finish of the song. I find for those who enjoy dancing to music, this is a perfect song to grove to for this exact reason. The fast-paced and lively first half of the song get you up and moving, working a sweat if you’re really serious about it. The second half of the song brings you back to Earth, allowing you to catch your breath and enjoy the mastery Steve Lacy possesses in both production and his musicianship.
This all goes to say that I am gleaming with joy at the thought of his new album. This snippet gives me a sense that us fans will get something that displays the variety of genres that Steve can tap into. I personally rate this song an 8/10 and will continue listening to it daily until the album drop!