There is a kinetic energy that binds drummer and producer Karriem Riggins and singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer Liv.e, the spark that happens when instinct meets flow and spirit finds rhythm. Their collaborative debut as GENA (short for “God Energy, Naturally Amazing,” and loosely inspired by Gina from Martin), The Pleasure Is Yours, feels like a playful, soulful conversation between two kindred improvisers: Liv.e’s smoky, unpolished vocals glide through Riggins’ warm, percussive universe. Rooted in jazz, soul, and hip-hop as living language, the Dallas born Liv.e brings a raw, experimental approach to R&B, while Detroit native Riggins, known for his work with Common, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Madlib, and a close kinship with the late J Dilla.

For both artists, GENA marks a natural evolution. Riggins whose rhythmic fingerprint has shaped the work of hip-hop and neo-soul legends continues his lifelong dialogue between jazz improvisation and beat science. Liv.e, following her acclaimed projects Couldn’t Wait to Tell You… and Girl in the Half Pearl, finds an exalted freedom in this space: her voice sounds like water, changing shape to fit the emotional container of each track on The Pleasure is Yours.

Together they create a world that’s analog and ethereal, percussive and poetic, sonically bridging eras without ever settling in one. There are echoes of Dilla’s unquantized drums, the spiritual spaciousness of Sun Ra and Alice Coltrane, and the sensuality of neo soul’s golden years but this is not a throwback record. There is a subtle confidence in the record’s looseness and refusal to be pinned down.