Released March 1, 2019
9 / 10
Favorites
Venom, Pressure (feat. Little Dragon), Therapy, Flowers (feat. Michael Kiwanuka)
Least favorites
Wounds (feat. Chronixx)
Little Simz put out her third studio album in March 2019 through her own independent label, Age 101, a sensational piece showcasing how versatile she can be as a rapper, lyricist and songwriter. The 26 year old (25 at the time) rapper navigates life through the prism of uncertainty and self-doubt that glow faintly through the wall of confidence and self-assurance she put up. Still, "GREY Area" is not a work tangled with contradictions but rather an album that acknowledges complementary qualities that balance each other out. You'll find light-hearted boasting ("I'm Jay-Z on a bad day, Shakespeare on my worst days") as well as very heavy content, comments that resonate both wise and youthful and the admission of confusion alongside uncompromising statements on the state of society and the marginalization of minorities in world affairs. Helped by Inflo on production, no two songs sound the same throughout the 10 tracks LP. "GREY Area" opens with strong displays of hard-earned confidence as Little Simz puts her money where her mouth is. "Me again... and I'm here to pick up where I left off!" declares the rapper on opener Offence. The track is punctuated by not-so-humble humorous bragging, entirely supported by a consistent cadence - and an outstanding second verse -, that she manages to convey as well-intentioned on top of a roaring guitar bassline. The introduction leads to Boss, an equally efficient production featuring distorted vocals as if shouted through a megaphone. While sounding bold and aggressive, the cursing doesn't feel threatening or unnecessarily violent. The flurry continues with lines like "Man they shoulda never let me discover the mic" accompanied by a funky bass. The song's audacious puckish outro seals off this dramatic opening duo with gusto. The determination and fortitude on display on Offence and Boss are not a fixture of every track on "GREY Area". Admissions of self-doubt and vulnerability permeate the album on an equal footing. Selfish is a playful-sounding tune, the likes of Kali Uchis don't seem estranged from, featuring London-based soul singer Cleo Sol's sultry vocals on the chorus and in and out of Little Simz' verses. The thumping 90s bassline and the additional chimes that emerge at the end of the the second iteration of the chorus distract from the lyrical content that addresses self-care and dealing with balancing your goals and those of people around you. Add to the rich instrumentals Simz' dexterity, matching the rhythm ever-so-closely and precisely, and you have a sound that lays very smoothly and almost condones a passive experience - the only track on "GREY Area" to do so. Therapy is another case of vulnerable content founded on great storytelling. The track lets the listener ruminate on the verses along a spotless chorus that doesn't need much wording to convey its message - as do most hooks and choruses on the album. The downtempo song lays the grounds for a retrospective that contemplates the difficulty of opening up about fears and insecurities. Which makes the coming of Sherbet Sunset all the more surprising. Simz discloses the end of a relationship with a man who got another woman pregnant without telling her. The story unravels along the song and Simz voice has never been clearer than here, owing to a careful production. Not the most eventful track on "GREY Area" yet the storytelling commands your attention and draws you in more and more. Nearing the end of the album on this note, we feel we've gotten to know Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz' birth name) quite well. This portrait of Simz would be incomplete without mentions of her denunciations of systemic biases and growing up surrounded by injustice. She addresses gang violence and the unfortunate glamorization of guns and stereotypical rap life on Wounds. The track is lyrically important and a substantial contribution to the album yet it feels slightly off with a chorus that sucks in all the energy and momentum at a regrettable placement within "GREY Area". Turning to the place of successful women in culture and society,Venom is a masterpiece that calls for all the attention you can muster. The track's atmosphere builds up with strings worthy of a horror movie score and electrifying cymbals. You don't want to miss a beat, a word, or a breath of Simz on this. It features some of the strongest word play and boldest statements on "GREY Area". Venom turns frustration into gold, dropping hard-hitting charges ("Never givin' credit where it's due 'cause you don't like pussy in power") while showing off Little Simz' craft. Her skills are out in the open when comes Pressure's turn to address injustice and racial bias. In my opinion, the most powerful song on "GREY Area", Pressure opens with an acoustic verse with bare piano and Simz vocals which is both compelling and pressing. The muted choir throughout elevates the sonic experience. Simz' flow is relentless, mirroring her message, requiring persistence and tenacity. It feels almost like a new song when the bassline kicks in. So many details keep the song alive, never letting it go out of breath. Little Dragon's hook is the cherry on top of everything. The album could not end on a better note than it does on Flowers with angelic background vocals, Michael Kiwanuka's rich tone and a growing musical presence, accompanied by gorgeous horns. It wraps up on a tension that superbly summarize "GREY Area". Little Simz claims to be "Afraid of what the future may hold for [her]" but Kiwanuka sees beyond her doubts and tells her "You already, you already won / You got the power, you got the power". Signing off an extremely humbling experience that rarely deviates from the highest of standards Little Simz set for herself and others.
Favorite lyrics
"Teach my daughter about the wonders of the world, I'm convinced If she's anything like me I'm raisin' a king"
Therapy
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