Jhene Aiko’s debut album, Souled Out, was released on September 9. She has become something of a cult obsession in R&B this decade. Her musical stylings, often compared to the late Aaliyah, have made her a favorite of rapper Drake, who is a big fan of the late singer.
After two prior releases, an EP and mixtape, Aiko finally delivers a full-length album. Souled Out is certainly cohesive, not straying away from her signature sound but at times unvaried.
Aiko is the queen of whispery lost love tracks. Some of her best work has been with prominent rappers like Lil Wayne and Big Sean. She’s still discovering herself as a solo artist and has decided to keep the features on Souled Out to a minimum.
One of the highlights of this album is the closing track, “Pretty Bird,” which features rapper Common. It’s a delightful collaboration that flows well with Aiko’s spoken-word R&B style.
Aiko is great at writing memorable, repetitious lyrics that hook her listener in. On “W.A.Y.S.,” she repeats the line “gotta keep going” for the majority of the song. While this works for this track, those same two or three-word phrases she may decide to use on each track on the album make the record monotonous at times.
Aiko’s unique tone is what carries her on this album. It’s not a powerful voice but it is, at times, intriguing. How she uses her light voice on these tracks has made her a rising star in R&B today.
This album is surely going to have some listeners in their feelings. While the singer isn’t as soulful as she lets on, her lyrics are certainly impassioned at times. Staunch fans of the singer are able to appreciate the singer’s sensitive delivery, but a broader audience may have to warm up to it as it can come across as humdrum.
The majority of the album is produced by Kanye West‘s former mentor No I.D. and the majority of it is written by Aiko and a small group of collaborators. The handful of people she’s worked with on this album is a testament to her loyalty to keep to her own specific sound, but may it not will her a sure-fire hit single as she’s opted to stay away from bigger name producers.
Aiko is the singer your cool, hip friends have always known about, but if she’s ready to break into the top tier of R&B a greater diversity in her sound would be a great step to make. Jhené has a similar laid-back approach as her R&B peers Solange or Frank Ocean. Solange featured Aiko on her collaboration album Saint Heron, but where Solange or Frank offers a little more grit and variety, Aiko may lack.
Souled Out is cohesive, and its tracks blend while taking listeners on a cosmic journey. The album’s sound is, at times, acute and airy, and it leaves you feeling like you’re in an emotional deep sea. Aiko has to come up for air, though, and command a little more of a presence on her own tracks, or else she will sink.
Standout Tracks: “Pretty Bird (Freestyle),” “Spotless Mind,” and “The Pressure”
