Premiere: Here’s an early listen to the entirety of VCMN’s sophomore album Bi Product

VCMN. // photo credit Oh Snap! Photography

This Friday, Lawrence R&B duo VCMN drops their sophomore album, Bi-Product, the long-awaited followup to their The VCMN Project debut from a few years back. It sees the duo, made up of married couple Victoria and Manny Cable, expanding their sound while also refining it into a well-crafted collection of dancefloor movers and shakers.

Ahead of its official release tomorrow, we’re excited to premiere it in full below a full day before you can hear it anywhere else.

We also spoke with VCMN about the process of bringing Bi Product to life via email, and you can read that while you take a listen.

The Pitch: You’ve released a couple of singles since your debut, The VCMN Project. Why wait nearly three years for a follow-up album?

Victoria: OMG yes. It has been three years since our last full project. We have been so busy since then. The first year after The VCMN Project we really spent time working the album and finding our niche. Then we ended up starting a business [The Stand], which took off a lot faster than we expected and before we knew it, it’s been almost three years. But we were still working on creating and exploring new sounds and creating something that was us.

Manny: Honestly, time. We have a daughter, run a concessions business, annnnnd we’re VCMN. We had to take a little hiatus to get our business off the ground. Not to mention, we’re particular about the quality of the music. We love our KIDDOS and want to make sure we give our best every time. We hope that’s evident in our music and our message.

With the success of “F.A.B.,” did that lead you to any new directions on this album, or was the more dance-oriented tone already set?

Victoria: We love that “F.A.B” is a success! We had no idea of what the album was going to sound like for certain. We just knew that as millennials we missed being able to DANCE and not worry about our problems even if it’s just for a couple hours on a Friday night.

What started the creation of Bi Product for me was listening to one of our Gen Z employees ask what it was like for us when we were in college and in the clubs. I was like, “Well, a TIME WAS HAD.” We had all the dance bops. We were dancing on tables, getting out the car at stoplights, everything just to DANCE. We would leave and our hair and makeup would be on the ground lol. She was so amazed and wanted to experience that, so I made it a point to bring back music that would make you feel it was appropriate to express like that!

Manny: I think we were already leaning towards a dance/Pride project. After The VCMN Project, we were determined to create something that made people feel a sense of community. Nothing says community like a dance party. “F.A.B” definitely confirmed we were heading in the right direction. It’s still my favorite song we’ve done.

How do you choose your collaborators, like Joel leoJ or Irv Da Phenom?

Victoria: Joel leoJ was a no-brainer. At the time we weren’t even thinking about a remix. We were getting ready to shoot content for it with our good friend Ailecia [Ruscin] with Oh Snap! Photography and we sent her the song to listen to in order to come up with ideas. Joel was with her at the time and he instantly called us and was like, “Y’all have changed the game and I need to get on this, it’s so good.” “F.A.B.” was unreleased at the time so it felt good to get such strong emotions from it but, typically we pick who we work with based on connection to us and who we think would fit best with the song and what they could bring to the ideas in our heads.

Manny: Generally, it depends on the song, but it basically boils down to personality and how well their sound meshes with the record. Joel leoJ is a long-time friend of ours and a known ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, so having him on the “F.A.B” remix was a no brainer. We dont know Irv Da Phenom on a super-personal level. But, I got to talk to him for a while when we were discussing his feature on “Afterparty.” For a man with so many accomplishments he is so humble and generous with his knowledge. Not to mention, he DEVOURED his verse.

Irv Da Phenom: I love their dynamic as a group. Always excited to work with phenomenal KC talent. I was excited when they reached out to do something. I had fun vibing on this.

Who produced this album and/or put together the beats?

Victoria: This album we worked with a variety of producers like Britney Hill aka BAH and Dras, but our main producer this album is CODE with CodeRed Productions. He has really helped shape our sound for this project. He is someone we can go to with a simple idea and he just “gets it.”

The release of Bi Product comes just a week before your Pride kickoff party. Will that show be a celebration of the record, as well?

Victoria: Absolutely! We want this to be a celebration for the community. We created something that will hopefully inspire everyone to be truly authentic themselves.

Manny: Yes! The party will also act as an album release of sorts. This album is our gift to the LGBTQIA+ community for embracing not just VCMN, but Manny and Victoria.

You are raising a kid and running a successful business in addition to making music and performing. How do you balance it all?

Victoria: Hahaha. Balance. Well, we try our absolute best. Lots of timers, calendars, and reminder calls. Luckily, Harper keeps us on track.

Manny: Yes, calendars EVERYWHERE, lots of sacrificing pleasure in favor of priorities, and very little sleep. Haha!

VCMN’s annual Pride Kickoff Party is also the release show for Bi Product. It takes place at Lucia on Friday, June 6, and also features performances from Novacayne, Aleis Noir, Joel LeoJ, and Lvndlocked. Details on that show here.