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Oscar LaDell’s Softly Cathartic AIN’T LOVE

Astara Ball

Blues singer-songwriter, Oscar LaDell’s, “Ain’t Love” is a disarming track that feels both wistful and cathartic. Released on 24 July, the song is written, produced and performed by LaDell alongside New Zealand-based instrumentalist,Wilson Blackley, formerly from Naarm/Melbourne. It also features Jay “J-Zone” Mumford on the drums, a producer and musician from New York City who made his start as a rapper and hip-hop artist. The honey-coated track offers a tender and light instrumental that finds

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“Ain’t Love” opens with a warm guitar riff inviting in LaDell’s crisp but sensitive vocals. Its melody burrows into you with its instrumental softness and lyricism that cries out for some sort of respite and emotional catharsis. As the chorus builds, a funky almost RnB rhythm rolls out as wonderful backing vocals that uphold LaDell’s titular line, “It Ain’t Love”.

The song is a seemingly swift listen but also leaves you hanging. A particular line from the opening verse clung to me: “I’d rather be losing sleep than leaving you behind.” These words landed like a swan song explaining to the singer’s lover why their passionate connection must come to an end. LaDell’s lyrics have a strength and composure to them allowing them rise above the song’s sore acoustic guitar tunes and oppose the expected sense of ache attached to such a blues inspired piece.

His work is instrumentally and emotionally layered, “Ain’t Love” can attest. A complex and revived piece, “Ain’t Love” is hollowing you out and LaDell’s vocal clarity rumbles through you. The song promises an album brimming with rich moments of emotional release and instrumental tenderness all woven together with such easeful care.

Alongside the release of “Ain’t Love”, Oscar LaDell has been gaining some well deserved momentum. Earlier this year he opened for Swedish based American singer-songwriter and blues troubadour Eric Bibb. He also accompanied US blues artist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram during his Australasia tour after playing with him in the US and EU last year.

“Ain’t Love” is the second of four singles to be released in the lead up to his debut solo album Untouchable arriving in November 2026. Oscar LaDell is set to tour Europe and the US in August and September this year and is co-headlining with his collaborator, Wilson Blackley. Locally, he will be performing at the Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival in July and at the Queenscliff Music Festival in November.

"Ain't Love" is streaming now.

Published: 2/08/2026 1:23 AM 342 views