After nearly a decade of strictly collaborations and performances at his residency in Vegas to pay off his gambling debt (we can laugh), Bruno Mars has released The Romantic. This is his 4th studio album.

Throughout a 32-minute runtime, Mars takes his listeners on a journey of yearning and emotional intensity. He is a storyteller above all else and it really shows in the cohesiveness of this album with its lyrics and how they are coupled with powerful instrumentation.

I’ve found that there’s always been a sort of chaotic quality to some of Bruno’s work that has made me enjoy it so much. There’s something about the duality of him as an artist. I’ve found that I can go from sobbing at his typical sentimental croons to laughing at the absurdity of some of the ad-libs that I’m sure he thought no one would notice.

The Romantic isn’t afraid to be emotionally raw while also featuring incredibly dance-worthy tracks. It is pieced together so delicately to express the highs and lows of modern relationships: the passion, the fighting and obviously the romance. This is a bona fide Bruno Mars album that doesn’t claim to be some kind of bold reinvention. Welcome back, Mars. We missed you.