The Urban Sophisticate

The Urban Sophisticate is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter/producer Alex Washington. It was released on 5 October 2023 by Apathetic Records. Produced largely by La'Shawn, the album sees Washington simplify his musical style after the experimental electro-pop of Média Controle 1982, staying mostly in the realm of R&B and house music. Thematically, The Urban Sophisticate explores themes of sex, romance, betrayal, and loss, largely pulled from Washington's highly-publicized private life at the time.

Release & Reception
The album was announced in early September 2023, to be released in October. Reviews of the albums were uniformly positive, with many praising the lyrical content of the album, as well as its sonic consistency, which had been said to be lacking in previous releases. Washington embarked on an unusual mini-tour in support of the album, called "Money Can't Buy You Drinks", where the star performed and partied at a private event at various queer venues around the world. Tickets were acquired by a combination of nomination and lottery systems, ensuring Washington's diehard fanbase would be prioritized for the events.

Upon release, the album was an immediate success with the public, attaining Washington's highest-ever first-week sales of 169,925 units.

Charts
The Urban Sophisticate debuted at #1 in the UK, the week of October 12, selling nearly 170,000 units, Washington's all-time highest first-week sales.