LITTLE SIMZ Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Since the release of her last full-length excursion, No Thank You, in 2022, much has changed in the world of Little Simz - both personally and professionally. These twin themes naturally shaped the sound of Lotus, not only her first album in three years, but also a first without her long-term studio partner InFlo - a producer she is suing for L1million in unpaid royalties. She goes in hard (lyrically, we mean) on her former partner on opener 'Thief', a cinematic and loose-limbed number that perfectly encapsulates the more stripped-back, often organic beats and surprisingly personal lyrics that mark out the album. Highlights are plentiful, with the post-punk/punk-funk fired 'Young', string-laden 'Free', heart-aching 'Hollow' and Afrobeat-inspired 'Lion' amongst the standouts.

Review: Little Simz continues her evolution with Lotus, her sixth studio album. Featuring sensitised singers Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly, the album builds on the prolific run Simz has maintained since 2022's No Thank You, which was followed by her first EP Drop 7, the stand-alone single 'Hello, Hi', and collaborations with Coldplay, Sampha and Wretch 32. Lotus explores transformation and resilience, with the lotus flower serving as a key metaphor: lotuses are infamously the only flowers to thrive even in muddy waters. Having described the lotus-like imagery as symbolic of the ability to create something "extraordinary" regardless of circumstances, Simz offers a profound depiction of resilience via the lead single 'Flood', which echoes 'Black Skinhead' era Kanye West with its deep, motile drumming and whispered, lyrical musings on the transfer of power.

Review: 29-year old Simbiatu Ajikawo aka Little Simz had a breakout year in 2022 that saw her complete a sold out tour and win some big awards (Mercury Music Prize, Mobo, Ivor Novello and Brit) as well as the public's affections. She takes a bold left turn here with 'No Thank Yowl, an album of defiant punk rock that is sleek and dynamic and serves as a "two-fingered salute to conformity and fame". It's a confident record from an artist at the top of her game, all recorded with her go to collaborator Inflo. She says, "emotion is energy in motion. Honour your truth and feelings. Eradicate fear. Boundaries are important."

Review: First released on streaming services back in December, Little Simz fifth album, No Thank You, finally makes it onto CD. Chances are you've already heard it, but if not, we can confirm that it's a genuinely brilliant set that more than lives up to the dizzy heights of its Mercury Prize-winning predecessor, 2021's Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Constructed in great sonic detail by long-term production partner InFlo - all sultry strings, head-nodding R&BV beats, sampled horns, background and chorus vocals from Cleo Sol and warming bass - the ten-track set contains some of Little Simz's most potent lyrics - all of which are delivered with the kind of seamless, London-accented flow that we've come to expect from her. Another triumph from one of the UK's greatest MCs.