1998 Rewind: Remembering Maxwell’s Embrya

I’ve been very vocal about my love for the year 1998 – I believe it’s one of the last great years in R&B and hip-hop history. Since 2023 marks 25 years since those magical 12 months, 1998 Rewind will look back at some of the best (and most underrated) albums of that time.

Twenty-five years ago today, Maxwell followed up on his beloved debut with an etherial album that left many fans scratching their heads. But time and perspective have strengthened this album’s reputation. Today I’m joined by Justin Jones to talk about Maxwell’s controversial but captivating Embrya.

Story time! Share your memories about first hearing Embrya.

Justin: I gotta be honest, I was 10 years old when this album dropped, and while I was aware of who Maxwell was even back then, the only R&B album I was bumping was Usher’s My Way. Maxwell was too mature sounding for me, and by that point I was only aware of “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)” off of the 1st album. Later on I became a huge fan and went out and bought all of his albums except this one. The reviews and fan perception turned me off from wanting to listen to this album for years until 2018 when Sony decided to re-issue Embrya. Once I played the opening track I couldn’t skip through it because it was so amazing and sounded innovative yet beautiful and groovy at the same time! By then I was 30 and the themes of love and exploration fit where I was at mentally to appreciate the album.

Edd: Like Justin, I’d be cappin pretty hard if I told y’all that Embrya was on constant repeat on my discman that was hooked into my car stereo in 1998. Shout out to those little tape adapters, they were life in the 90s. I was a big fan of the single “Cococure” but it would be nearly a decade before I heard the album in full. When I got married in 2006, my wife and I merged our music collections like Devastator, introducing me to dozens of albums I’d never heard. Embrya was one of her favorites and while I understood why it had such a divisive reputation, I quickly became a fan too. Better late than never.  

OK, let’s get down to business. Talk about your pick for best song.

Justin: “Luxury: Cococure”

I’ve heard this song more on radio in the last 5 years than when it was originally released due to the label re-releasing the album after 20 years, but mannnn this is a banger with a funky bassline and melodic vocals. Put this on and you’re guaranteed to be in a good mood. 

Edd: “Luxury: Cococure”

Let’s be real – Embrya isn’t a very assessable album, especially following the more universal soul sounds of Maxwell’s debut. But “Luxury: Cococure” is one of the few songs that retains mainstream appeal while perfectly fitting into the dreamlike state Embrya establishes. Like nearly everything from this era of his career, “Cococure” is often overlooked but it’s quietly one of Maxwell’s best singles.

The production on this album is unreal. Which song has the best?

Justin: “Gravity: Pushing To Pull”

Props goes out to Stuart Matthewman for this one. It’s a very haunting and urgent track, a mixture of latin and afro-beat flare, but also cinematic in approach. Maxwell’s vocals bring out a seductive tone that keeps the listener on the edge of your feet.

Edd: “Submerge: Till We Become the Sun”

Embrya’s production overall is a masterstroke of genius – half the tracks here are worthy of consideration. But the sublime beauty of “Submerge” is breathtaking. The way the track slooooowly builds to the introduction of synths, then the keys – you can feel Maxwell diving deeper in to the depths of … um, let’s just call it “the sea.” This is what King Triton and his wife were playing when Ariel was conceived.

Name the most underrated track.

Justin: “Submerge: Till We Become the Sun”

If making love under the water had a sound, it’d be this joint. It’s one of Maxwell’s best songs that no one talks about. I keep this on my R&B playlist to set the mood right.

Edd: “Submerge: Till We Become the Sun”

I think the real answer is “the whole album.” And even though it’s not top 3 on my list, yep, “Submerge” it is. Between its hefty runtime (nearly 6 and a half minutes) and structure that refuses to conform to the “hit single” formula, it’s not surprising that it may be underappreciated. But the pacing, the production, Maxwell’s effortless performance, it’s a work of R&B art.

Which song should have been a single?

Justin: “Eachhoureachsecondeachminuteeachday: Of My Life”

It’s the most melodic song on the album and the harmonies of the chorus alone would’ve kept it on Urban AC rotation. Allegedly there was a video shot for this, but I’ve never seen it.

Edd: “Eachhoureachsecondeachminuteeachday: Of My Life”

As I’ve alluded to earlier, there’s not much on this album that screams “hit track” but (*deep breath*) “Eachhoureachsecondeachminuteeachday: Of My Life” comes closest. It’s the only track besides “Matrimony” and “Cococure” that are built for mainstream consumption. Plus that hook is insanely catchy. He’d have to do something about that word salad of a title though. Looks like someone spilled a box of Alpha-Bits cereal all over the floor.

Embrya can be a hard album to love. What made you a fan?

Justin: The album’s themes of love and vulnerability are relatable, but more than that…the production is just on another level. Unlike the other Maxwell albums, this one plays out like a score for a romantic black love story.  

Edd: This thang is SEXY. Don’t misunderstand me – there’s a lot of albums that TALK about sex, but only a very select few in the past 30 years actually feel like romance. That’s Embrya, an album that has mastered the art of seduction. Sure it can feel overwrought and unstructured, but it’s not out of laziness, it’s design. For me, it’s not about an endless supply of hits and bangers, it’s the unspoken commentary on romance that hooked me. It’s brilliant.

Some have compared Embrya to the alt-R&B albums of the 2010s. How does it measure up to those?

Justin: It’s hard to say but I can see how albums like Miguel’s Wildheart or Jhene Aiko’s Souled Out were inspired by it. What it has over these other albums however is Stuart Matthewman willing to be on the same page as Maxwell. Also vocally…ain’t nobody even close to touching Maxwell’s falsetto in today’s era.

Edd: Embrya is one of those albums that seems retroactively linked to the alt-R&B sound. While I’m not sure I’d call it a direct inspiration for artists of that movement (Aaliyah’s final album, among others, draw more direct links) I do think it’s certainly a predecessor. Most importantly, Embrya excels where many of those later albums stumble. Embrya’s atmosphere is moody and sparce, but the beats don’t feel empty and unfinished. Maxwell’s vocals are restrained and understated, but he’s not mumbling or just talking his way through songs. And the writing is suitably poetic, not hackneyed rap lyrics. Maxwell was on his alt-R&B wave way before it was cool, an in most cases, he did it way better.

Is Embrya Maxwell’s best album?

Justin: It’s close…but Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite has higher highs than Embrya and still his best. While it doesn’t take as many risks, the debut also has no bad songs, and helped propel the Neo-Soul genre. Is Embrya a classic in retrospect though? Yessir.

Edd: I know I’m in the minority on this one and it’s cool, I’m used to playing R&B’s biggest heel – but yes, Embrya is Maxwell’s best album, better than the beloved Urban Hang Suite. Like Justin said, Maxwell’s debut is beloved because of the hits it produced and its legacy, joining Erykah Badu and D’Angelo in creating the holy trinity of neo-soul records that would shape R&B’s next big sound. Embrya is a tougher listen for sure but overall it’s a much more consistent and daring album, taking bigger risks that all pay off. In fact, it was so far ahead of its time that it would be well over a decade before anyone else caught up to him. The “vibe era” was late to the party. Now that I think of it, I’m glad I didn’t hear the album until my ears had matured. 1998 Edd probably wouldn’t have appreciated it the same way. But time and experience prove that Maxwell was way ahead of the curve.

Who do you agree with, Justin or Edd? And what are your thoughts on Embrya? Let us know below.