Shea Butter Baby – Ari Lennox

Harry

Finding out Ari was signed to Dreamville just minutes before listening made alarm bells ring. However, they were drowned out by the gorgeous opening track on the album, which featured some beautiful instrumentals and a variety of textures. Throughout the album, Ari blended some beautiful sounds – some of which reminded me of Tom Misch production (a compliment for sure) but this time with some proper vocals over the top. Her vocal delivery was as varied as the instrumentals. It’s clear she’s made a real effort to ensure her flows compliment the track. This is notable in her use of features too, who are placed tastefully and really enhance the songs they are in. I wish I had been able to draw some content from her lyrics which from what I could tell were fairy surface level. But I am definitely intrigued to delve deeper into this album.

77/100

Zach

Having been highly rated by J.Cole and subsequently signed to Dreamville, I was keen to see what Ari Lennox had to offer. Having a very small discography to date, this debut album had a lot to prove for Lennox’s promising career. Gladly I think this is an exemplary debut album. It combines an exquisite balance of acoustic vs electronic instruments, and all instruments have a tangible (and gorgeous) output on the texture of the music itself. Furthermore, perhaps the most commendable feature of the album is that it is varied, but still embodies a clear and coherent sound throughout, which is something incredible mature for such a new artist to achieve (as proved by Loyle Carner). Her voice shines throughout and is supported by 2 CLASS features from JID and J.Cole. I feel like this album has something for everyone: relatable lyrics for the millennial, tasteful accompaniment for the musician, but ultimately a good vibe for everyone to enjoy. 

84/100