On Ed Staal’s new track “Naked” he’s embracing the frivolity of a casual relationship. “Though it’s not love we’re making / it’s mutual so let’s get naked,” he sings on the track’s chorus. “‘Naked’ is a song that is probably the most relevant to where I am in my life right now” the artist explains. “It’s an upbeat, cheeky way of me saying “I just wanna have fun right now and that’s ok”. It is probably my favourite [song] on the project.”

The funk-imbued, addictive R&B pop number shows the lighthearted zest he’s capable of fronting via his soulful vocals and slick songwriting, however, quieter moments on the project, such as, “WHY” show his dexterity for sensitive penmanship. “Why oh why am I in love with you?” he ponders on a relationship of an entirely different character to that documented on “Naked”.

The EP marks the latest milestone in Staal’s ascent to the upper echelons of pop, as he builds on an already impressive 150,000 streams on Spotify alone and various plays from tastemakers like BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing. We’re now just waiting anticipatingly to see what he’ll do next.

Head below to get your teeth into “Battle Scars & Broken Hearts” for yourself, right now…