The Passionate Ones

The Passionate Ones
Studio album by
Nourished by Time
ReleasedAugust 22, 2025 (2025-08-22)
Recorded2024–2025
Length44:58
LabelXL
ProducerNourished by Time
Nourished by Time chronology
Catching Chickens
(2024) 		The Passionate Ones
(2025)
Singles from The Passionate Ones
  1. "Max Potential"
    Released: May 7, 2025
  2. "9 2 5"
    Released: June 17, 2025
  3. "Baby Baby"
    Released: July 29, 2025

The Passionate Ones is the second studio album by American musician Nourished by Time. It was released on August 22, 2025, by XL Recordings.[1][2] The album follows his 2023 debut album Erotic Probiotic 2 and his 2024 EP Catching Chickens.

Background and recording

XL describes the record as a "twelve-track catharsis" and Nourished by Time's first full-length release for the label.[1] The project was crafted between Baltimore, London and New York.[3][4] Early coverage that frames the album's themes around love, labor and everyday existential pressure, "howled from the underbelly of late-stage capitalism."[3][5]

Release and promotion

The Passionate Ones was announced alongside the lead single "Max Potential" on May 7, 2025, with an accompanying music video.[6][7] The second single, "9 2 5," followed on June 17, 2025.[4] The album's third single, "Baby Baby", was released on July 29, 2025 with a video.[8] The album was released on August 22, 2025, via XL Recordings in multiple formats.[2][9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.4/10[10]
Metacritic89/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
The A.V. ClubA[13]
Beats Per Minute86%[14]
The Guardian[15]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[16]
Mojo[17]
NME[18]
Pitchfork8.4/10[19]
The Skinny[20]
Slant Magazine[21]

According to Metacritic, The Passionate Ones has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on fifteen reviews.[11] Pitchfork gave the album a score of 8.4/10, highlighting it as Best New Music.[19] Writing for The Guardian, Katie Hawthorne described the album as "committed" and "full-hearted," highlighting "9 2 5" as a "song of the summer" contender.[15] NME also reviewed the record under the headline "welcoming and deservedly self-assured."[18] In December 2025, Paste Magazine named The Passionate Ones the best album of 2025.[22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Nourished by Time.

The Passionate Ones track listing[1]
No.TitleLength
1."Automatic Love"4:02
2."Idiot in the Park"3:19
3."Max Potential"3:52
4."It's Time"3:52
5."Cult Interlude"2:00
6."9 2 5"4:29
7."Crazy People"3:46
8."Jojo" (featuring Tony Bontana)3:36
9."Baby Baby"3:17
10."Tossed Away"4:50
11."When the War Is Over"3:29
12."The Passionate Ones"4:26
Total length:44:58

Sample credits

  • "Max Potential" contains a sample of "Saved", written and performed by Labi Siffre.[23]
  • "Crazy People" contains a sample of the Dear Mr. President collection, courtesy of the Library of Congress.[23]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.[23][24]

Charts

Chart performance for The Passionate Ones
Chart (2025) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums Breakers (OCC)[25] 17
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[26] 9

Release history

Release dates and formats for The Passionate Ones
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various August 22, 2025
XL [2][27]

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Passionate Ones". XL Recordings. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Nourished by Time – The Passionate Ones (pre-order)". XL Recordings. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "The Passionate Ones". Bandcamp. Nourished by Time. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Corcoran, Nina (June 17, 2025). "Listen to Nourished by Time's New Song "9 2 5"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  5. ^ Clarke, Patrick (July 7, 2025). ""Love, labour and existentialism": Nourished By Time's unexpected rise". NME. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 7, 2025). "Nourished by Time Announces Album, Shares Video for New Song "Max Potential"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  7. ^ Hussain, Shahzaib (May 7, 2025). "Nourished By Time Announces New Album 'The Passionate Ones'". Clash. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  8. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (July 29, 2025). "Nourished By Time shares ambient new single "Baby Baby"". NME. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  9. ^ "The Passionate Ones – product page". XL Recordings Shop. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  10. ^ "The Passionate Ones by Nourished By Time reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  11. ^ a b "The Passionate Ones by Nourished By Time Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  12. ^ Kellman, Andy. "The Passionate Ones – Nourished By Time". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  13. ^ Gillis, Drew (August 23, 2025). "Nourished By Time speaks to something bigger on The Passionate Ones". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  14. ^ Hakimian, Rob (August 22, 2025). "Album Review: Nourished By Time – The Passionate Ones". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Hawthorne, Katie (August 22, 2025). "Nourished By Time: The Passionate Ones review – committed, full-hearted post-R&B". The Guardian. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  16. ^ Lepore, Dom (August 22, 2025). "Nourished by Time's The Passionate Ones is awe-inspiring". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  17. ^ Cowan, Andy (September 2025). "Nourished by Time: The Passionate Ones". Mojo: 86.
  18. ^ a b "Nourished By Time – 'The Passionate Ones' review: welcoming and deservedly self-assured". NME. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  19. ^ a b Hyland, Samuel. "Nourished by Time: The Passionate Ones". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  20. ^ Gamble, Patrick (August 19, 2025). "Nourished by Time – The Passionate Ones". The Skinny. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  21. ^ Erickson, Steve (August 18, 2025). "Nourished by Time 'The Passionate Ones' Review: Maximum Impact". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  22. ^ "The 50 best albums of 2025". Paste Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  23. ^ a b c The Passionate Ones (Media notes). Nourished by Time. XL Recordings. August 23, 2025.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ "The Passionate Ones / Nourished by Time / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  25. ^ "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  26. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  27. ^ "XL Shop – The Passionate Ones formats". XL Recordings Shop. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
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