Close your eyes and listen to the first ten seconds of the track. You’d swear it was 1974. The crackle of the production, the silky smooth vocal runs, and that specific, buttery tone that feels like it was ripped straight out of a Marvin Gaye recording session. When October London dropped October London Make Me Wanna as part of his The Rebirth of Marvin project, it wasn't just another R&B song. It was a statement. A bold, retro-leaning reclamation of what soul music is supposed to feel like in an era dominated by trap drums and over-processed vocals.
Honestly, the first time I heard it, I thought it was a lost Motown vault track. It isn't. It's a modern masterpiece of mimicry and genuine talent.
The Sound of 1970s Nostalgia in a Digital World
Music moves in circles. You've probably noticed how everything old is eventually new again, but October London—born Jared London in South Bend, Indiana—did something different here. He didn’t just sample the past. He lived in it. October London Make Me Wanna succeeds because it respects the architecture of classic soul. It uses real instrumentation. It breathes. You can hear the space between the notes, which is something we’ve lost in a lot of modern bedroom-pop production.
Snoop Dogg saw it coming. He signed London to Death Row Records—a move that surprised people who only associate the label with gangsta rap—because he recognized that "old soul" energy. Snoop’s pivot into executive roles for legacy-style artists was a massive gamble that paid off when this track started climbing the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay charts. It eventually hit number one. That doesn't happen by accident. People were hungry for this.
Why the Marvin Gaye Comparisons Are Both Fair and Unfair
Everyone brings up Marvin. It's inevitable. London literally titled the album The Rebirth of Marvin. But let's look closer.
If you listen to the vocal layering on October London Make Me Wanna, you’ll hear those distinct multi-tracked harmonies that Marvin Gaye popularized on What’s Going On. It’s that "choir of one" effect. However, London adds a bit of a Midwestern grit to his delivery. While Marvin often sounded like he was floating above the track, London stays grounded. He’s more tactile. The lyrics are simple—basically a confession of overwhelming attraction—but the delivery is what sells the "wanting."
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It's about the "vibe." That word is overused, I know. But here, it fits. The song captures that specific moment of being so captivated by someone that it disrupts your internal peace. It’s romantic without being cheesy. It’s sexy without being explicit. That’s a hard line to walk in 2026.
Breaking Down the Production
The arrangement is deceptively simple. You have:
- A steady, rhythmic bassline that drives the "walking" feel of the track.
- Lush string arrangements that swell during the hook.
- A crisp snare that stays slightly behind the beat, giving it that "laid-back" groove.
There’s no heavy synth work here. There’s no aggressive Autotune. It’s just a man and a microphone, backed by musicians who clearly spent their childhoods listening to Al Green and Bill Withers. When the chorus hits, it feels like a warm blanket. It's comfort food for the ears.
The Cultural Impact of a "New" Old Sound
Why did this song blow up on TikTok and Instagram Reels? It’s because it’s "clean" enough for a wedding but "cool" enough for a late-night drive. It bridges a massive generational gap. I’ve seen Gen Z creators using the track for "vintage aesthetic" videos, while their parents are adding it to their Saturday morning cleaning playlists.
That’s the secret sauce. October London Make Me Wanna isn't trying to be "viral." It just is. In a market saturated with songs designed specifically to be 15-second soundbites, a full, three-minute soul ballad feels revolutionary. It’s a bit ironic, isn't it? That the most "forward-thinking" thing an artist can do right now is look fifty years into the past.
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The Death Row Records Connection
Let's talk about the label for a second. Death Row under Snoop Dogg is a different beast. By putting his weight behind October London, Snoop proved that the label isn't just a museum for 90s West Coast rap. It’s a talent incubator. October London Make Me Wanna became the flagship single for this new era. It proved that R&B still has a home on a label that once hosted Tupac and Dr. Dre. It’s about "Black excellence" in all its forms, not just the ones that fit a specific radio format.
Misconceptions About the Artist
Some critics called him a "tribute act." That’s a lazy take. While the influence is undeniable, London’s songwriting carries a modern sensibility. He’s not singing about rotary phones and telegrams. He’s singing about modern longing through a vintage lens. If you listen to his other work, like "Back to Your Place," you see a broader range. He can do the crooner thing, sure, but he can also handle more contemporary grooves. October London Make Me Wanna just happened to be the perfect lightning strike of nostalgia and timing.
The song spent weeks dominating the charts for a reason. It wasn't just a fluke. It was a response to the "Vibe Shift." We spent years listening to high-energy, high-anxiety pop. This song is the exhale.
How to Lean Into the Soul Revival
If you’re hooked on the sound of October London Make Me Wanna, you shouldn’t stop there. This isn't just a song; it's an entry point into a broader movement of "New Classic" soul. Here is how to actually engage with this music style and find more like it:
Stop relying on "New Music Friday" playlists. Those are heavily influenced by label spend. Instead, look for "Analog Soul" or "Modern Vintage" playlists. Artists like Durand Jones & The Indications, Thee Sacred Souls, and Jalen Ngonda are working in this same space. They record to tape. They use vintage gear. They are the peers of October London that the mainstream radio often ignores.
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Check the liner notes. See who played the instruments on the track. Often, you'll find a small circle of musicians in cities like Los Angeles or Nashville who are responsible for this specific sound. Following the session players is a pro move for finding great music.
Listen to the album in order. The Rebirth of Marvin is designed as a cohesive experience. In the age of shuffling, we lose the "story" an artist is trying to tell. This album tells a story of vocal evolution. Start at the beginning and let it play through to understand the context of the hit single.
Support the live show. Soul music is meant to be seen. October London’s live performances are notoriously tight. Unlike many modern acts that rely on heavy backing tracks, London actually sings. The nuances, the cracks in the voice, the improvisation—that’s where the real magic happens.
The success of October London Make Me Wanna proves that soul isn't dead. It didn't even go anywhere. It was just waiting for someone with enough heart and the right tone to bring it back to the front of the stage. Grab a pair of decent headphones—not the cheap earbuds—and listen to the bass layers. You’ll hear exactly what I mean.