Little Simz sometimes might be an introvert but she is far from shy. Despite the archetypal image of an introvert being quiet and meek, Simz grabs you by your ears for an hour straight, screaming and yelling “This is who I am, faults, beauty and all.” There is no shame in what she sings about, it is raw in an ambitious album that is cinematic, it is emotional, it grows, at no point does she filter herself for the listener and hold your hand. The album treats you like a real person who does not want the simple dumbed down version but instead all the emotion.

Kendrick has said that Simz is “the illest doing it right now” and it is easy to see how. The UK rap scene is flourishing with international recognition following the growth of artists such as Dave, Stormzy and Slowthai. After the success of ‘Grey Area’ releasing in 2019 the spotlight has been cast, and Simz has taken it to show the industry why she is deserving to be the Queen. Despite boasting a strong 19 tracks the richness and scope of the album is not lost out at any point as it keeps you engaged through an adventure of genres and themes. From the fanfares, orchestral grandness and imposing strings of ‘Introvert’ to electronic beats with minimalist production on “Rollin’ Stone” to taking on us on a run down memory-lane to her roots from Nigeria and Caribbean-infused cowbells and drums on tracks like “Point and Kill” featuring Nigerian artist Obongjayar. The variety in motifs, expressions and emotions throughout the album shows Simz ability as an artist and her impressive technical proficiency.

We begin the album at “Introvert”. Despite the title, the song is far from quiet. Marching band snares grab your attention and tell you “Hey buddy, the music is starting now – you should quiet down and listen.” Fanfare horns dominate the production, with vocals harmonising in the background, it’s maximising and full and the least introverted thing you have ever heard. She delivers power lyrics discussing politics and the black experience alongside her passion and love for music whilst Cleo Sol performs charming soul vocals. This is one of the most powerful openers I have ever heard and reminds me of the opener to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

In the following tracks “Woman” “Two Worlds Apart” and “I love you, I hate you” explores feminist narratives, Love, relationships and her childhood – specifically growing up without a Dad. You cannot help to notice how slick the production is, the beats spin and bounce around you, incredible vocals from Cleo Sol which contrast with Simz strong delivery, “Two Worlds Apart” samples Smoke Robinson, texturing the song with soul, it sounds incredible – I have no adjectives, no metaphors, it just sounds plain incredible. “I love you, I hate you” sings the title throughout the song at the end of each line, it is catchy and after the first verse you will catch yourself singing along ‘I hate you’ and ‘I love you’. The track also features my favourite line on the album “Never thought my parent would give me my first heartbreak.” It’s raw, intimate and honest. Simz does a fantastic job of provoking your empathy and connecting emotionally.

We are then hit by “Little Q, Pt 1&2” with “Gems – Interlude.” Usually, interludes are not worth discussing, they tend to extend playtime beyond what is necessary and take away from the experience. Simz however flips that and makes the interludes necessary and crucial, giving breathing moments to the album so that you can process the emotions. “Little Q” whilst a low moment of the album, is simply beautiful. Light beat, which is drum driven, and a smooth flow telling us the story of her cousin’s experience and her reflection on how different it was. “Gems – Interlude” sounds like something straight from a Disney film, amazing.

“Speed” “Standing Ovation” and “I See You” is a 3-track production-adventure experience. “Speed” has thumping drums that dominate your ears with echo-y vocals from Simz, “Standing Ovation” returns to the fanfare motif explored before, light on the drums but strong on the trumpets and strings whilst “I See You” deviates from anything heard so far, it features an acoustic guitar riff with live drums that sounds warm and intimate. Simz vocal performance really shines on this track. Its soulful, pure and intimate, close to the heart wrapping you up in a warm blanket.

“Rollin Stone” following an interlude marks the second half of the album. It’s fast and sounds like “Venom”. It is the weakest track on the album that cuts the aesthetic in an unpleasant way, however the electronic drums beat switch create an almost “hip-hop/house hybrid” that is interesting but, ultimately, does not redeem the track. “Protect my energy” keeps following the idea that “this album will feature lots of genres and variety!”, funk bassline with 80s synths that pop, it is high energy and makes you want to get up and move. The chorus is catchy and hooks you in with the beautiful “That’s why I-I, Love bein’ alone”

“Never Make Promises – Interlude” is orchestral Disney. Nothing else to say. Simz then decided to make a track leaning on her culture and Nigerian heritage, leading us to the tracks “Point and Kill” and “Fear No Man”. The first of which features an incredibly catchy chorus performed by ‘Obongjayar’, I love how both artists let their accents come through in this track and gives you a real Afrobeat feel. “Fear No Man” sounds like a song you would hear at a carnival with one of the most impressive sound choruses I have ever heard – I do not know if it is sampled or how it was recorded but it is bold.

We are then met with the closing tracks of “The Garden – Interlude”, “How Did You Get Here” and “Miss Understood”. British actress Emma Corrin features on the interlude over the same whimsical Disney instrumentals heard before. “How Did You Get Here” has beautiful choir singing that as a Kanye stan I love, the instrumentals and almost spoken-word delivery reminds me of Gang Signs & Prayers. It is a soul heavy track that is intimate and crucial, it should have been the closing track. “Miss Understood” has a catchy bridge and a cute piano but does not offer anything new to the album that we cannot find in other tracks.

A musical exploration of: genres, resentment, growth, politics, struggle, introversion, culture, heritage and identity. The scope is enormous and unfortunately at times it does feel like Simz has bitten off more than she can chew. “Standing Ovation” fanfare motif feels overused by the 9th track, “Rollin Stone” whilst interesting, does not suit the experience and “Miss Understood” should have been reserved for the deluxe edition. With almost ten minutes of interludes delivering cliche hyper-positive messages, it wears thin. Despite the weaknesses, the production is one of a kind and is complimented by Simz opening up in a way that many artists do not. 9/10. Video.