FEATURE:
Vinyl Corner
SZA - Ctrl
___________
FOR this edition of Vinyl Corner…
I wanted to look at an album that turns three on 9th June. SZA’s Ctrl is a phenomenal album, and one that was included in pretty much every ‘album of the year’ list in 2017. If you can get it on vinyl, then make sure you do. It is the debut album of he American artist and, after it made an enormous impact in 2017, many people are anticipating a second album and wondering if we might see that soon – there have been rumours of a second album, and SZA discussed the idea of putting out twenty unreleased songs ahead of a full studio project. Ctrl, apparently, was the result of tireless work and obsession from SZA who, having immersed herself in the songs so much, had to have her hard drive taken away by the record label; maybe fearful that they would not get an album. It is clear that anxiety was fuelling creativity but, at the same time, it was hard for SZA to disconnect. The album was originally slated for 2015, but I guess that extra time paid off: Ctrl is considered one of the best albums of the 2010s. Working with a range of producers, SZA delivered this incredibly broad album that mixes Neo-Soul and R&B with various genres. That blend of personal and relatable lyrics with these incredible performances and compositions meant that the album resonated with many. Singles like Drew Barrymore, The Weekend and Broken Clocks are staggering. Ctrl and tracks were nominated for four Grammys; the album has sold over one-million copies.
It is amazing to think that the original album sessions began in 2014. I know there were personal reasons for the delay, but it also clear SZA was putting her everything into the album! Taking inspiration from music across various decades, she was adding in these great sounds and disparate tones to great effect. The legendary producer Rick Rubin was a useful guide during the initial phases, and he suggested stripping stuff away and editing a bit more – SZA was used to adding layers and packing a lot in. What resulted is an album that has plenty to say and is full, yet SZA is at the front and she is not buried low in the mix. Rather than me discuss the ins and outs of the album, I wanted to bring in a couple of reviews that show what a huge impact the album made – and then urge people to listen to the album. In their review, this is what AllMusic had to say:
“Solana Rowe's proper debut album, due to its title, invites comparisons to Janet Jackson's 1986 personal and commercial breakout. It's an individual statement, however, one distinct from even the contemporary likes of Kehlani's SweetSexySavage. Placed beside only Z, its three-year-old prelude, Ctrl is the work of a considerably less-inhibited songwriter. Rowe likewise truly fronts these frank songs that wield power as they lament lonesomeness, insecurity, and inertia. She neither projects slight wisps nor obscures herself inside swirling synthesizers, yet she oversells not a single thought. On screen, a slight shrug from her would probably devastate an expectant admirer.
In the slow-motion hip-hop soul of "Doves in the Wind," featuring a hectoring verse from fellow TDE artist Kendrick Lamar, Rowe schools inapt and inept male behavior, offering intimate counsel and acerbic derision in a uniquely offhanded style. As assured as she is in this mode, she's not too proud to test a partner ("Call me on my bullshit, lie to me and say my booty gettin' bigger even if it ain't"), express personal dissatisfaction ("All alone still, not a thing in my name"), or plainly grieve ("Do you even know I'm alive?"). The production crew here is almost completely different from the one involved on Z, with TDE regular Tyran Donaldson (aka Antydote and Scum) the lone holdover, present on seven tracks. For every overdone trap trick, there's a couple of sly wrinkles, like the thick, chiming groove in "Go Gina," where Rowe brilliantly illustrates a specific kind of fatigue ("Picking up a penny with a press-on is easier than holding you down") and the woozy, decayed synthesizer line in the Travis Scott-assisted single "Love Galore," ideal for a song about rekindling a dead-end affair. This is a marked improvement, a distinctive statement, and an indication of more great work to come”.
I find myself coming back to Ctrl, as it keeps offering up new details and joys. It is such a nuanced album that hits you right away but, as I say often in these features, comes back and surprises you. The Irish Times discussed Ctrl being this deep and immersive listen:
“Welcome to a gritty, soulful and widescreen new R&B landscape. SZA has previously flouted her credentials as a performer and songwriter, but this debut album is a much more striking affair than earlier releases as the New Jersey singer shows both tough and vulnerable sides with remarkable results.
Her first person confessionals and eye witness accounts about love, feminism, control and relationships in the age of social media, coupled with some sweet and rich musical textures, ensure that this an album with many layers to peel back and reward a deep listen.
She’s certainly got a great ear for how language can soothe and sting, a quality which makes her songwriting really connect on Normal Girl and Love Galore.
She’s also strong enough not to be dominated by such A-list guests as Kendrick Lamar (Doves In the Wind) or Travis Scott. It’s clear to see who’s in control on this record”.
That blend of the extraordinary musical backing and these very direct and important lyrics is why the album sounds so important and brilliant now – I don’t think its power will ever dim! As the world awaits new music from the brilliant SZA, have a listen to Ctrl and all that it offers. It is a brilliant album to buy on vinyl; sit down, let it sink in and blow you away. Go out and buy the album – or stream it if you can’t -, and experience a truly dazzling artist who is…
IN a league of her own.