Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving [Black, Booklet] (LP) Vinyl

The Art of Loving is the second studio album by the British singer Olivia Dean, following Messy (2023). Capitol Records and Polydor Label Group released it on 26 September 2025, with production from Dean herself alongside Julian Bunetta, Matt Hales, Bastian Langebæk, Leon Michels, Zach Nahome, John Ryan, Max Wolfgang and Matt Zara.

Twelve tracks run to 34 minutes and 23 seconds, taking in the singles Nice To Each Other, Lady Lady, Man I Need and So Easy (To Fall In Love). It is a pop and R&B record that draws on neo soul, bossa nova, jazz pop and the Motown sound.

Recording

Dean took the album title from All About Love, an exhibition by the American painter Mickalene Thomas at The Broad in Los Angeles that was itself a response to the books of bell hooks. Most of the record was written and recorded across eight weeks in March and April 2025, in a grand East London house converted into a live-work studio. Rosie Danvers arranged the strings, performed by Wired Strings, Charlie Holmes mixed the album and Simon Francis mastered it. A Couple Minutes samples We Had True Love, recorded by Hot Chocolate in 1971.

Reception

The Art of Loving entered the UK Albums Chart at number one with 52,366 album-equivalent units, the highest debut by a British female artist since Adele's 30 in 2021. Man I Need topped the singles chart in the same week, making Dean the first British solo female artist to lead both charts simultaneously since Adele in 2021. It holds a Metacritic score of 84 from ten critic scores, indicating universal acclaim, and took Album of the Year at both the Brit Awards and the MOBO Awards. The BPI certified it double platinum on 22 May 2026 for 600,000 album-equivalent units.

Artwork

The front cover photograph is by Jack Davison. Liam Kay and Matteo Villacei handled the design of the vinyl edition.

This Pressing

This is the standard single LP on black vinyl, cut at 33 RPM and issued under catalogue number 7816332. It comes in a standard sleeve with a 14 page booklet carrying lyrics and photographs from the recording sessions.

Track Listing

Side A
1. The Art of Loving
2. Nice To Each Other
3. Lady Lady
4. Close Up
5. So Easy (To Fall In Love)
6. Let Alone The One You Love

Side B
7. Man I Need
8. Something Inbetween
9. Loud
10. Baby Steps
11. A Couple Minutes
12. I've Seen It