Beyoncé: “Virgo’s Groove” Track Review

Part of the fun of waiting for a new Beyoncé album is guessing which genres, styles, and fashions made it onto the superstar’s moodboard. Her latest blockbuster, RENAISSANCE, turns its focus to the dancefloor, whipping from ballroom to Miami bass to ’70s disco samples in a celebration of queer Black music and community. Each new wrinkle bursts with affirmations dialed to maximum meme-ability. It’s a dizzying listen, but at its center is the blissful, loved-up “Virgo’s Groove,” a six-minute disco-funk reprieve that ranks among Beyoncé’s best. Here, the superstar lets loose for a track that would queue up perfectly after “Blow” in her neon roller rink. Equal parts Velvet Rope and Evelyn “Champagne” King, “Virgo’s Groove” homes in on a breathless romance. “Baby, come over,” Bey coos, guaranteeing a good time over upbeat handclaps, slap bass, and airy synths co-produced by neo-soul upstart Leven Kali. She wants to cuddle, to soothe her emotions, but she also wants the heat: “Use me, pursue me,” she purrs on the song’s bridge, dipping from sturdy lower octaves to an enraptured falsetto, fully under the sway of passion. “Kiss me where you bruise me.” By the song’s ending, Beyoncé locks into a free-flowing groove, forgoing the standard pop format to indulge in ad-libs, hip-swaying breakdowns, and lovesick call-and-response. “Virgo’s Groove” is endlessly replayable, effortless in execution and overflowing with joy for both love and music itself.