Jalen Ngonda - Doctrine of Love

Sweet, aching soul gets a second helping on Doctrine of Love, Jalen Ngonda's new album, pressed to vinyl with a digital download card tucked inside.

Born in Maryland and based in England since his student days in Liverpool, Ngonda signed with Daptone in 2022 and introduced himself the following year with Come Around and Love Me, a debut that won admirers far beyond the classic-soul faithful. This 2026 follow-up keeps faith with that sound, rooted in the warm, band-in-a-room tradition the label has championed for years, and in songwriting that treats romance as serious business.

The title track and "Hang It On The Shelf" lead the way, with that feathery falsetto front and center, gliding over arrangements that know exactly when to hold back. Deeper in, "Mr. Train Conductor" and "Hannah, What's the Matter?" show his knack for turning a simple phrase into a whole story, the kind of titles that would look right at home on a 45 from another era.

Nothing here feels like pastiche. Ngonda writes with the craft of the old masters, but the heartbreak and hope in his voice sound entirely his own.

For anyone who keeps their Daptone records within arm's reach, this is a natural next spin, and a lovely one.