Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I very much enjoy Little Simz’s style. The first half of this album is 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥. I feel like the flow gets a bit disjointed in the second half.
Always a pleasure listening to Little Simz. Not my favorite album of hers, but it's still a great listen. A light 4 I'd say, will definitely listen again.
Pretty good, but I don’t feel like writing a review right now. Again.
There's something about UK hip hop that just hits a very specific vibe, and while I have HEARD of Little Simz, I'd never actually LISTENED to Little Simz. This is actually incredible, I think I love it. Four stars for discovery, an extra star held back in case it becomes a regular rotator.
she is really cool and the production value makes this musically interesting.
A great opening run that benefits from a short overall run time to give a concise overall package full of great production, amazing flow, and an overall solid debut to what may currently be the best female rapper of all time. Its subject is a bit repetitive, and in turn the back half can end up feeling a little redundant, but still a solid showcase of Little Simz's musical abilities.
4+
She's after my own heart including Michael Kiwanuka on the final track. In all honesty, definitely one of the best "modern" rap albums I've listened--it's not a 90s esque sound, but it reminds me of the 90s in that the message is biting and the backing tracks are arrangements rather than beats. Favorite track: Flowers
I really like this. I'm seeing some negative reviews and wondering what's up, then I listen and my head is naturally bobbing along. I dunno, maybe they just don't like hip hop.
Really interesting and distinct from every other album I’ve been listening to. I was surprised that I liked some of these songs and recognized “Venom.”
Cool album Standout songs: Offence Therapy Venom
Haven't listened to this in a while, still hits pretty hard.
So good to see Simbi on the list! In terms of like, the *album* you should listen to, I think Introvert takes the cake, but these tracks are just pretty killer across the board. Such an enjoyable listening experience. Really magnetic youthful energy. Soft four and a half. Fave track: Boss
"Boss", "Venom", "101 FM", "Pressure", and "Therapy" are great tracks. Beautifully odd choice of samples. 4.3 stars rounded down.
this thing slaps 9/10
Liked, didn’t love
Sounded good.
Listened Before? N Wow what a surprise! This album was on a whole nother level from all the other British rap I've heard in my life. She seems to have a great sense of self-awareness and is an excellent lyricist. Not sure who is responsible for the arrangements but the beats are also incredible. Highly enjoyed. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: 101 FM
Me gusta como cantabla. Hip hop rap rápido.
Best Song: Venom. An obvious hitter. Big fan of the sparse, percussive production, which give plenty of space for the vocals to bounce overtop with a beautifully staccato rhythm. Worst Song: Boss. I really don't like that blown-out vocal effect. Overall: She's got a helluva flow. I'd never heard this album before, but I get now why it had such a strong response. Really impressive, and one I'll definitely be returning to.
Even being from the UK, i'm not a fan of UK rap usually. The beats are often kind of clunky, same with the flows, and the lyricism is miserable. Luckily Little Simz is the exception to all of these, as the beats bang here and she has something to say, and says it well. Her next album is better than this but it's still a great listen.
good stuff. 4 stars.
Great album, very diverse, very layered. Also an excellent crystal-clear production.
Quite something, really
This is cool and fun!
Favourite tracks: venom; flowers; 101 FM
Hey, I was sure I was going to hate it when I saw it's modern hip hop but it's actually pretty refreshing! The use of a large array of instrument instead of just relying on sampling was a great surprise. The songs are also pretty diverse and original from one another and the fact rhat they're all pretty short and its only a 30 min album allow things to stay pretty fresh throughout the listening 4/5
good
Not her best, but better than most anyway. Anyone who makes FM radio sound cool deserves a 4. 4/5. Only because I have to leave room for introvert to be better.
Back to the definitely-not-my-mum-coded albums again. Our Lottie can’t win them all. Listened to it many times so far this year but no harm in one more listen.
The flows on this thing are impressive. There's a lot of rage and range, from social commentary to personal struggles. Love the aggressive, jazzy instrumentals as well. Favorite tracks: "Boss", "Pressure"
Bring it. Production is so satisfying. Her lyrics and flow really get you into it and there’s nothing to take you out. However, after listening, I can’t help but to feel that there was more that could have been done to make the tracks memorable. Yet, I’m satisfied with my introduction to Little Simz. 4/5
throbbing bass pulsates bloody lips biting beats sour you are not worthy
One of my favorite hip-hop album of the 2010's.
Pretty good, nice variety of songs.
Me gusta como cantabla. Hip hop rap rápido.
Her 2021 release, Sometime I Might Be Introvert, is better.
Some gems in here!
Thought this was alright!
Contemporary British artist, sweeping sounds, cutting lyrics, for the young hip youth but some beautiful music on this album. Flowers an absolute stand out. Will revisit
There is definitely something really promising in Little Simz style and flow. Selfish and Wounds really turns a corner on this album. It's a tight rap, minimalistic at times, but nicely layered with beats & atmosphere that makes it pretty interesting. Though the N word is featured prominently, i was really intrigued and excited. Nice surprise.
Really enjoyed it. Great voice, musically strong as well. Good variety, so not just good songs but a great album.
Wicked - Little Simz doesn't miss a beat nor does she waste any time on this album
Killer stuff here, Kiwanuka solidified this as a 4
simz is amazing
Surprisingly FANTASTIC. LOVE THE BEATS. Can I give a 4.5?
I really liked this one;!
Maybe even a five…really happy to be introduced to this artist!
Badass. Added: Wounds
Oh hell yeah, something recent! I mean, I guess it was 5 years ago, but that's still a lot newer than 99% of the list. Anyways, this album's really good. The rapping style of Little Simz is definitely unique. I haven't really heard anything like it until now, but that's definitely not a bad thing. It's a rare case of a British rapper's raps not being overshadowed by the accent. The rhymes are usually really good too. Sure, you do have a few moments akin to rhyming the n-word with itself 8 times in a row, but those are few and far between and also not that egregious. The flow on the whole album is very nice. The beats are also quite well made. They have a nice vibe to it while still having each song sound a bit different. The features on this thing are also quite good. The last album that I got that was as recent as this one was from Michael Kiwanuka, which is funny because he actually has a feature on the last song of this album. His music work on that album was a 5/5, so obviously, he does a great job with his feature here too. The other features are also pretty good. Overall, this album is a great sign of things to come for this artist, and I can totally see why Fantano gave this a 9. High 4/5.
Good britrap. Loved the lyrics and enjoyed more than I expected to.
Ooh a new’un, and a good’un. Good candid lyrics, good varied beats. SIMBI (ha! I’ve literally just realised what that acronym spells 🤦♂️) is a good album too but I like that this one’s more consice and flab-free. I’ve always respected Little Simz from a distance but maybe it’s time to become a fully paid-up fan?
Loved the variety, low fi beats, subject matter and flow
Little Simz is a skillful and impressive rapper, anyone who's into hip hop a little can recognize it right away. And the music on this album is excellent. I have minor gripes with a couple of more "middle of the road" neo-soul tracks in *Grey Area* (looking at you, "Selfish"), but there are no "fillers" to speak of in this tight, tight record, as many other reviewers in this app already pointed out. Please also check out her following album *Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert*, by the way. You do have a few "fillers" in this longer release, but the highlights are even MORE impressive. UK now has nothing to envy the US when it comes to good hip hop, that's for sure. Not that there are no stellar highlights in *Grey Area*, mind you, like its opener "Offence" and its spiky bass synth and hectic bridge section, or like the lush and smoooooth guitar-driven "Wounds", or like the Tamla Motown-inspired background vocal hooks of "Sherbet Sunset". And at the center of this record you have a perfect string of bangers. First there's the intense, dry-yet-voluble "Venom", using the best of the US trap scene without the clichés that will make the latter unavoidably age like poor wine. Little Simz' faster-than-lightining-rapping in the middle of that cut is a thing of wonder-- "pussy in power" indeed. And the serpentine, atonal *Psycho*-like string section on the track is a thing of wonder as well, scary as fuck. Then you have the fun oriental flourishes or *101FM* and the more introspective and soulful mode of *Pressure*. Inflo's production chops shine a lot in this record, just like they do in other Little Simz albums or songs by Michael Kiwanuka (performing in *Grey Area*'s closer "Flowers" and its mournful-yet-jazzy, saxophone-enhanced soundscape). It's nice to have recent albums like this on this app. I wish there were more of them, ideally, and in more varied styles that the ones represented in this list. There were *a lot* of stellar records released in 2019 for instance, and some of them were even better than this one. That said, I understand that you need to wait a little before deciding whether such or such album has grown to an "essential" status. So it feels to me those sorts of lists should either refrain from including albums from the last decade OR conversely, take a *real* chance and include FAR MANY MORE recent records. In that case, you'd just have to erase cheesy stuff by Dwight Yoakam, Bonnie Raitt, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock and the likes, lol -- this list has too many piles of turd like that, plus a few overall "OK" records from the distant past that are just weird curios today (like stuff by Carpenters or early Bee Gees). Anyway, Dimery's "solution" to just include a couple of records a year since 2010 is just a half-assed one to solve the problem of respecting the 1001 finite number for his "updated" project. Honestly, it feels like Dimery doesn't have a "team" of music experts with him these days, and that the recent additions in his latest book editions are just his personal, "subjective" choices. Nice that those choices include one Little Simz album. But a shame that there are no other recent important records by Big Thief, Fontaines DC, Idles, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Tyler The Creator, Low, Parquet Courts or Daughter, to only take a few 2019 examples. End of my rant about Robert Dimery's list. Giving a 4/5 grade to this Little Simz record, even if I'm gonna wait a little to decide whether I include it in my own ranking. I almost *never* do that for my own 4/5 albums. But I'd rather err on the side of caution for certain recent LPs. Number of albums left to review: 326 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 301 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 164 (including this one, OR *Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert--TWO Little Simz record might be overkill) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 218
Joy I enjoyed all of it too boss and there was another one the lyrics were a bit crude for my taste. But she's very melodic and some of the music and backing her up sounded great
Great album! Not an artist I would have recognized but great flow and beats.
Brilliant. Was familiar with a couple of the lead singles, and really liked the follow-up album, Introvert. This is rock solid all the way through. Smart, highly attuned, empathic, moving.
I love listening to female rappers.
We need more hip-hop like this
Pussy in power
She fucking rules.
He ich has recht läss gfunde und has au recht guet chene lose! Finds vom genre her au schön mal was anders z ghöre, drum sehr easy listening and was fun!
find die hässig art zum rappe und die verzerrt stimm seeehr geil. beats sind au heert geil. gad "boss" her extrem geili synths und so. und e geili bassline. selfish au extrem geile bass. plus sie zeigt ihri chli ruhiger stimm und chli de souliger flow type. venom goht duuumm de flow de text uiiii radio 101 sie seit "rizla smokesmoke" funny. finds extreem guet, text sind de hammer sie flowt huere geil und d instrumentals sind vo mega schön und jazzy bis hässig knackig. mega mega nice. starchs vieri
I’ll listen to it again
Some good production with enough variety to keep me engaged.
I forgot how hard Little Simz is. One of the greatest females MCs ever.
Saw Simz on later with jools. Liked what she done. Good album
This is outside my normal music listening and much too modern for me! But I loved the music - particularly the basslines. I seemed to recognise a couple of tracks which I must have absorbed via osmosis from radio or TV. I've certainly hear of Little Simz a lot from the Mercury Prize win and You Tube music reviews. I only dimly know what the lyrics are about on first listening. But I hope I'll return to it again! I'm giving this a higher rating than my initial reaction of 3/5 because I reckon I'll like it even more once I've had a chance to listen to it more than once.
Like the London Borough of Portishead
‘The British are terrible at Hip Hop, but they’re good at turning Hip Hop into other genre’s that they can do’ and ‘British rap music is so different from the Hip Hop we [American’s] know that it’s not even Hip Hop anymore’ are statements from Todd In The Shadows, a US based Youtube Music critic who I really respect, talking about Trip Hop and Grime respectively. What I find really interesting about the latter statement in particular is that the sound that American Hip Hop has been pursuing in recent years has been very influenced by Grime. Try as hard as you want, but you Damn Yankees can’t escape us, hahahahaha Despite my like of my country’s rap scene, Little Simz is an artists I’ve not had the opportunity to check out, despite all the acclaim for Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Boy is that gonna change. This album is fantastic
AMAZING album!! some new favorites in there! Venom I knew from Reels but I didn't like as much as I expected to! Favorites were 101 FM, Sherbet Sunset, and Therapy, loved the musicality, the rap flows, the collabs! Very well tied together, I enjoyed a lot
just yes
Rating: 9/10 Amazing hip-hop album. Loved Little Simz' rapping abilities and lyricism, the lyrics were very personal and introspective. The production on this album was fantastic throughout, it really complemented Little Simz' rapping. Very consistent as well, not a single bad song on the entire album, one of the best rap albums from the 2010s. Favorite songs: Pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Pressure.
Great and real lyrics. I love the jazz. Venom and Flowers are the two best songs.
Very solid hip hop
Me gusta como cantabla. Hip hop rap rápido.
2019. A female rapper I hadn’t previously encountered. I listened to Wounds and Venom. I’d put her above Minaj and Azalea easily. She reminds me of a young Downtown Julie Brown.
Love the flow and poetry on display here. Cheers to the London rap and hip hop scene
Прикольный альбом. Такой поп-рэп альбом в духе Gorillaz. Есть клёвые мелодичные вещи, хотя жанр не совсем мой.
I quite liked this music and rapping style.
Under 40 mins listening time. Slick lyrics and song writing. Definitely adding a few tracks to normal rotation
I'd even heard of little Simz. I really enjoyed the album. P power and all that. Some cool genre mixes. Lots of bravado.
yeah this was pretty good! pleased to discover it wasn't mumble rap cause the release date had me nervous lol. it had moments of sounding like soundcloud rapper-y but it was good!
Excellent
What a flow! Opening track and venom are my favorites. She changes up her rhythm and tone a lot, which I like. Very cool album.
I think I conflated this in my mind for Little Mix, and thankfully it wasn't that. Some of the lyrics are what I believe the kids today would say "a bit cringe" but she makes up for this in flow and beats. An enjoyable listen.
Hot Eats. Cool treats. Dairy Queen.
Great instrumentals
Pretty good! Feels like a little bit older boom bap type shit.
I really enjoyed this. I had no idea who Little Simz was previously, but will be checking out her other releases.
This was a really good album. If the second half had held up as well as the first it would have been a 5.
4.3 the start of the album was the best for sure, it just became less of my thing but still objectively great faves: boss, offence
I'm really glad that this album came up. I've heard a lot of great things about Little Simz, but I hadn't made myself really dive in and listen yet. All of the songs on this project were enjoyable. Wounds was particularly great. I loved its bass and twangy guitar heavy beat and I think Simz's flow complimented the beat perfectly. Sherbet Sunset was another great standout. I'll definitely come back and listen again. I want to check out later entries in here discography as well.
Little Simz’ flow and her production is immediately distinctive and excellent. I think i wish i clicked with her subject matter and style a bit more but i recognize this is a well made tight album
Little simz immediately slaps you in the face with a completely unique and even silly production on the song”offence”. She shows understanding and love for old school hiphop while nailing a completely new and modern take on “alt hiphop”. Some of the songs work the whole way through but because of their out there nature/goofiness I can see many of these tracks not holding up for multiple listen throughs. Female hiphop is in a renaissance and it’s easy to see why with artists like this spearheading the charge! Hopefully artists like Dave, stormzy, AJ Tracey and little simz can bring UK rap to the states!
Loved the first song Offence and Therapy and liked the rest of it, but wasn’t over the moon about the rest. I was in kind of a grumpy mood when I listened to it though and don’t think it’s a good grumpy mood album for me at least.
great record! good beats
simzin 2021ilmestyny levy oli täydellinen, tääkin on hyvä
NOTES : That was a very wide spanning project as far as sounds & styles , I like that Little Simz performances were very similar to make up for the varied production , giving it a more grandiose feel as all of these sounds swell around her while she delivers these heart felt lyrics, The last song on the project " FLOWERS " was my personal favorite as that song in perticular not only has a beautifully majestic sound with the vocal swells & trumpet , but a grounded feeling with the drumbreaks to keep the tempo ( which the drumbreaks & production helped keep this record consistent in tone & energy ) . There were certain songs that I personnally got bored of , like " VENOM " & " 101FM " however the majority of the records were very well crafted , but I will say I don't see myself coming back to this project wholisticly to listen to it. I think overall this project was fun & beautifall listen from the mind of a young female creative trying to showcase her penmanship & take u for a ride thru the mind of Lil Simz
4/5. Never heard this before, production is really really cool and enjoyed the flow a lot.
At first I was not too excited, but it certainly exceeded my expectations. Selfish was exceptional
anyone who makes good music that doesn’t sound like what everyone else is doing is a win for me. Great instrumentation and songs, not really my thing as far as replay value but I recognize it is good
I LOVED this. This one slipped me by. Even in 2019 it feels like an artifact of a time quickly disappearing... the early/mid 2010s, when every rap album was as ambitious as this one. When ideas were adventurous, sampling was smart, often funny, whimsical. Every album its own world. Somewhere along the way I fell off the train of new hip hop releases because, frankly, many people stopped trying. Little Simz and Inflo are trying. The string arrangements, old Warner bros sfx, cheeky minimalist Moog and drums alone are worth the price of admission. I found it very immediate and compelling. Let's get back here. 4/5
Very refreshing to hear this after NWA. Smart lyrics, questioning male authority, touching on deeper themes, different beats each song. Surprisingly enjoyed it.
Female Earl Sweatshirt type of album. 2019
I really dig this. I liked the flow, I liked the beats. Never heard of Little Simz before. This was a great addition to my musical history.
Consistent sound, nice bass. Enjoy her rapid-fire flow. SAVOUR: Offence, 101 FM
I guess this answers which version of this list the website is using. I’m very pleased that we are going to get stuff this recent (presumably. I can’t wait for all the 2020 electronica albums we’re going to get this week). This is exactly why I signed up for this project. I don’t listen to hip hip or rap, and I liked this a lot.
3 = Liked it this time 4 = Listened to it again at least once because I wanted to (not just to decide if I liked it) 5 = Likely to listen frequently
She’s the fucking best.
There's some tension in this music that's lacking from most other hip hop I got so far. I like it. Favorite song: 101FM
Enjoyed this, not sure why I had low expectations but I was glad to be wrong.
Good to have some modern sounds on here. Lyrically it was thematic, rather than narrative driven; the flow was strong and the backing music was beautiful.
I'd never heard of Little Simz, this was way better than I'd expected it to be! Digging the low key beats.
and they say there's no good music these days...
Something about Little Simz style works for me while a lot of this stuff doesn't. Inflo's production is great too.
team rasmus sry claus ☹️ så little simz på atlas i 2016. hun er fed
Love me some Simz
I saw British rapper and thought nooooo. But wow, this album is so good!! Way too short, but the tracks are so good it’s not even annoying listening to it replay over and over. She gives me female Q-Tip vibes! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: not as vinyl since it’s so short, but I would pay for her media. Favourite Song: 101 FM
She just kicks ass.
pretty interesting album. I dont know much UK based hip hop so it was a nice change. good sound and flow throughout, I always have an ear for something a little alternative sounding in the genre. Flowers stood out the most to me.
Very unique voice in hip hop. Really enjoyed it. From the first song you’re locked in.
My second fav Little Simz album
I love this album
Yesss, kort affære, pisse gode beats, elsker hendes flow. Havde ikke regnet med at se den plade her. Claus tager fejl.
Really good. Will probably join the regular rotation.
Great surprise. Was aware of a couple of tracks - but this album is so consistently good. Staying on playlist!
This was such a surprise. I knew the name but never checked out the music outside of what I eventually realized was Simz with Venom. I love this album. Great flow, crisp production, just a fantastic album. Added toy playlist!
I liked this album much more than I expected. It starts off great with the first two songs, but as always happens with rap, it all starts to sound the same to me . Still, I think it is a well done album and worth a listen.
really fantastic from start to finish.
Nice surprise. Never heard of her but now I’m a fan.
Good representation of modern album on this list.
Nice, groovy and catchy. This is little simz, the flow is intact. Kinda obscure but with spirit at the same time.
Very chill, great short album
Little Simz is probably my favourite female rapper out there
Already listened
Enjoyable
Really enjoyed this now which I’m shocked about
First three songs are amazing. Rest of album is good too. Selfish best song. Maybe my favorite Little Simz?
4.5/5. A Brit beating the Yanks at their own game.
This is an incredible album. It is extremely open and emotional album where Simz talks in depth about her view of many serious topics. Her rapping is obviously great but what really stands out with this album is how honest she is with her lyrics and content. It feels like she is having a late night conversation with a close friend. Not a bad song on the album 9/10.
Super mélodique, bien ficelé. Réécouterai avec plaisir
SIMBI is better and no, its not because Im an introvert too. Little Simz my fav rapper rn fr
Big fan!! Loved discovering this album and found a few favorites here. Also enjoyed all the features.
Real solid album. Maybe a bit outside my normal listening but the writing was phenomenal, and the beats were almost always on point.
One of UK hip-hop’s greatest offerings Very conscious and personal lyrics go well together with vintage-sounding beats Favourite tracks: Offence, Boss, Selfish, Venom, 101 FM, Flowers
An absolute treat!
According to Home Office statistics, 28 people were murdered by shooting in England and Wales in the year ending March 2022. This was seven fewer such deaths than the previous year, and a decline of 30% from 10 years prior. For a population of 60 million, this is a vanishingly small number. Even if you stick a nought on the end to provide a very generous estimate for unrecorded gun homicides, it’d still be impressively meagre. So I think I’m no controversialist when I claim that the UK doesn’t have a major issue with gun violence. We simply don’t have the guns for it, and everyone here views the few who possess guns for recreational shooting as outright fucking weirdos you wouldn’t trust to be alone with your goldfish. So why does the song Wounds bang on about guns? Little Simz is not American. She’s a Londoner of Nigerian descent. Yes, she’s working in a genre founded by Americans (it’s hip-hop’s 50th anniversary this year, it seems), but hip-hop is a genre where the projection of authenticity holds significance. And since Little Simz has such a distinctive flow and distinctive persona, there’s no need for such appropriation, surely? Is she, in effect, rapping with a wobbly accent? Is she Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, only with the nations inverted? I suppose that can segue into a discussion of the role authenticity has in hip-hop. Basically, it’s a swizz. To boast about authenticity is to distract from far more important considerations, in hip-hop or any other genre (any fiction, in fact). It’s a sleight-of-hand that directs the listener away from assessing the mellifluousness of the flow or the cleverness of the wordplay by saying it’s “real”. Does that sound like a tactic operated in good faith? Authenticity is in no way the same as verisimilitude, and the main factors as to whether a ne’er-do-well or a boy scout composes a worthwhile murder ballad do not include which one lived the life. Following this logic, it may seem that Little Simz wailing about the kids strapping on gats (is that how you say it?) is a perfectly fair application of artistic license, and it’s not as if the whole album is sopping with such imagery. And that would be all very well, but why does she employ such a commonplace trope at all? This is what holds me back from doling out the full five: Little Simz has the potency to innovate often, and with considerable élan. But every time she resorts to hip-hop cliché, be it braggadocio, acquisitiveness, or copious use of the N word, the listener dips into the despair caused by watching the talented skive off. I said earlier that this album just swerved away from achieving five stars in my eyes. Of course there’s greatness on this album, especially in terms of production, but one wishes that Little Simz aspired to make something beyond a hip-hop album, and instead an album more determinedly of her own conception. Similarly, the album’s brevity, although refreshingly different from those suffocating 20-track hip-hop albums of the CD era, makes the album feel just ever so slightly slight. British artists have a long, glorious history of taking American genres and using them to explore whole new realms of which our American friends could never conceive. Why should British hip-hop be so servile to the idioms of American hip-hop? We don’t need Dudley’s answer to Biggie. NoRadio, signing off.
Ist DAS noch hip hop? Hat mir ausgesprochen gut gefallen. Geile Beats, gute Ideen, guter Sprechgesang, gute Arrangements. Es ist nicht alles schlecht, was rappt.
This was a nice surprise! Must be one of the new additions to the list. An all round solid hip hop album
Wow. Little Simz is an incredible rapper. She can spit lightning fast with style and attitude. She has a lot of different flows too. The production is fantastic too. I'm not familiar with Inflo but man he's crazy talented. Great beats packed with details and interesting changes that come midway through a song. The opening track "Offence" is a real knock-your-socks-off track. Little Simz sounds badass and the production matches her attitude and moves all over the place. Awesome stuff. I especially liked the first half of the album, which leans more toward shit-talking and confident swagger. But the whole album is solid.
"Boss" is incredible. I love the effects on the vocal parts and the overall vocal performances. I'm really surprised this track has such a low play count on Spotify (5th highest on the record, maybe that means there's more to come!). Moving from that into the super cool Lauryn Hill~ish "Selfish" is so sick. I love this track. It sounds like Thundercat on bass- there's this bass lick at 1:19 that I swear I heard him play on Mac Miller's Tiny Desk Concert. The kick drum is one of the best I've ever heard. It is so soft yet hard, thuddy yet piercing. Kicks and snares are elements that I am constantly trying to tweak and find perfect samples of and man this is a special one. The piano is incredible too. I'm really appreciating how eclectic the production. I keep hearing things that I wouldn't expect, like the electric guitar on "Wounds". It's great and I really enjoyed it.
Energetic, efficient, and interesting. Fresh, if not quite fabulous. Though distinctive, the vocal style feels a little forced, a little flat, and makes one less engaged with the content of the rhymes. "Selfish" is best cut by a shout, but "101 FM" and "Sherbet Sunset" and "Flowers" are also worthy, thanks to their likable beats and samples and, in the latter two, soulful backing vocals.
5/10, 50%
Real cool
While it is very British, it is pretty good. GREY Area is a great British hip-hop album, even though it takes from some American influences. I'm gonna start with what I found to be the best and that is the instrumentals. It's really diverse in my opinion. There's a good mix of distorted beats and cleaner, live instrumentals. This includes some bits of jazz horns, guitars, strings; really a bit of everything. Sometimes these clean sound instruments are added upon a distorted beat and it creates something truly special. Like no joke, I think this has some of the greatest beats and instrumentals of the past couple of years. The vocals are also pretty good, albeit very British, meaning that the flow is okay. Sometimes it's a real crapshoot if the vocals for British hip hop are gonna be good and I think they are here. I think the anger felt by Little Simz is the only reason they work as her flow is sort of dependent on her anger in her lyrics. Speaking of which, I think the lyrics improve over time. They don't start off amazing but they really become fantastic by the end. All the anger and emotions hinted at near the beginning come up in the last three tracks and I believe that they are amazing. I will reiterate, the last three tracks truly are amazing. Everything that worked in the previous tracks is just done during this last third. It really is amazing. If not for these last 3 tracks I would've considered giving this album a decent score. But the instrumentals, vocals, and lyrics just go so hard in the last third and it really elevates the whole experience in my opinion. I am gonna give this album an 8/10.
This is a really good record: not overlong (like many/most rap albums); great lyrics, good music. Pleasant surprise given I'd never heard of Little Simz before now.
A nice surprise
The instrumentals are interesting and more eclectic than most rap albums. The songs don’t get repetitive, they build to impressive peaks. I love her accent and flow. Good work.
Great flow, rewards multiple listens. A bit inconsistent. I'm guessing that by the time she's done, this won't be among her best albums. Best track: Wounds
GREY Area by Little Simz is a remarkable album that solidifies her as a force to be reckoned with in the rap and hip-hop world. Released in 2019, it showcases her exceptional lyricism, insightful storytelling, and confident delivery. Tracks like "Selfish" and "Offence" demonstrate her fierce and unapologetic approach, while "101 FM" and "Sherbet Sunset" offer moments of introspection and vulnerability. The album's production is diverse and innovative, incorporating elements of jazz, R&B, and electronic influences. Little Simz's authenticity and raw talent shine through, creating a captivating and empowering listening experience. GREY Area is a testament to her artistry and cements her place among the most exciting voices in contemporary rap.
Modern hip hop coming out of London, Little Simz is fresh and completely ready for the international stage. She's not aggressive, but she is direct. Her lyrics will rip everyone apart without devolving into a mess of a tirade. She's smart and intelligent. She knows where she stands in this male dominated industry yet she uses her memories, experiences and thoughts to stand out on her own island. The production by Inflo is influenced by the urban sounds from Tokyo to LA which pushes this record to the next gear. Little Simz is already talented with six gears but Inflo adds that little bit of extra.
OKAY go off girl this was actually really good.
I've heard the name, but never listened to one of her albums. I'm digging the vibe that Offence puts out. Confidence filled bars over an atmospheric instrumental that has a slugging / groovy electro-bassline with some flute and drums to match. Boss continues in a similar braggadocious vibe. Once again, the instrumental is pretty dope. Also like the compressed vocal effect -- calls back to Check Your Head by Beastie Boys. Selfish opens up from the constricted, punchy basslines to a breezy lo-fi production with a smooth bass rhythm working in the background. Her flow is really good; pairs nicely with the understated beat and is supported by a clean chorus. Venom is the high point of the album so far. Broody instrumental with spooky strings and high-hat heavy drums. I don't know if I call it a "jam," but it is very moody. Second half is a bit softer than the first, but overall this is a really quality album. 4/5 for overall shot selection, production, and technical ability.
Oh baby another album coming in to usurp the title of latest album at 2019! Looks like Willow Smith on the album cover. Damn this girl has flow. This is a really good rap album. I really liked Flowers.
4+/5
Standout: Flowers feat. Michael Kiwanuka (whose album was the 2nd album I listened to way back at the start of this list).
Drullugott albúm. Byrjar sterkt og verður betra með hverju laginu sem líður!
Different, to be sure. First off - the music is *awesome* - as in; full 5 star quality. Love the organic sampling, the soulful singing interludes and progressions - definitely right up my alley. Also the length hello perfect - keep it short and sweet! OK as for the main performer here Little Simz - how is the flow? .... Here's where I wavered from song to song: no question she has amazing talent here; her ability to get all the lyrics out with such clarity is impressive, I don't know how that's done. But there are times that her rhythm wavers - I'm big on the old-school method of being on the beat, it's an intrinsic part of the music for me and at times there's a bit of "overflow" with the words and phrasing. It's a style more than any "flaw" and I just don't like that style, so at times it's a bit distracting. Also - damn: her rapping is monotoned. Way too monotoned. If there was some or any expressiveness throughout the delivery there'd be no nitpicking. If that's something she develops/ed after this album I'd be psyched, because there's still a lot to like from her. Sum: music is a 5, rapping/flow is somewhere in the frustrating 3 range for me, but with let's say a higher potential. I'm curious enough that I'll seek out her later albums to see where she went from here and even with the limitations overall the music is really good and I'll listen again. 7/10 4 stars.
Mammoth Listened to the new Mammoth on apple tunes. Pretty good. Not that heavy
Surprisingly good.
I'm not a fan of modern rap. We'll get that out of the way now. Kendrick is perhaps the only current talent that does anything for me...until this album. I really enjoyed this listen. Simz has fantastic flow ("Venom" made my jaw drop), and writes honestly and without ego, which is often a downfall of rap for me -- I want to hear about who you are, not about what you have, fuck your "flexing". All this over very pleasant instrumentals; thick, funky basslines, sultry guitar lines, dreamy synths and inventive percussion keep things fresh and highly listenable throughout. Another trend I've noticed among the rap albums I've explored is their tendency to outstay their welcome, often clocking in at over an hour and sometimes up to two. At a tight 35 minutes, this album presents a concise message. The guest appearances here from artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and Little Dragon are also welcome additions. I hope to explore more from Little Simz in the future.
Enjoyable, but not a lot that is going to stick with me. Really enjoyed the production, had a fairly consistent sound throughout. Her rhymes were great as well.
cool album! not what i'd normally listen to but I really liked the flow and lyrics. favorites: offence, venom, 101 fm
Oh, that's interesting! Fresh and diversed. Like it!
Yes please. Great rapping, great lyrics, sonically smooth. I’ll be back.
Really enjoyable. I can tell I'm going to come back to this from time to time.
Benefits from multiple listenings. There's no catchy riffs or hooks, but there's a ton of depth and vibes, spanning from light to very heavy.
Now here's a surprise, a British hip-hop album that isn't mortifyingly-awful. Fresh, tuneful and inventive, I enjoyed this quite a lot. Her flow is really good and the usually-embarrassing parochialisms aren't too clumsy here. Dragged down a bit as the obvious American slurs still sound a bit silly (think: reverse Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins), but overall pretty good and pleasantly concise.
Vet album, weet niet wat het in de lijst doet verder, maar gaat vaker geluisterd worden.
Very good
Great album. Little Simz is a technically accomplished rapper but it is the producer Inflo who really makes this stand out. Little Simz raps like it was the year 2000, and she explicitly references Jay-Z in the first track in the best line of the album. It somehow feels fresh with the old school exaggerated bragging. It’s obvious she is a fan of the turn of the century New York hip hop. Little Simz lyrics as a whole are alright but not interesting enough for five stars. The production by Inflo though is definitely five stars. Dynamic, organic and banging.
Great rapper! Great rap vocals and rhymes and personality. Contemporary yet classic sounding production.
En bombe bébé
solide
Surprised and delighted with this awesome artist
:)))
3.5 maybe - not of all this is good but Venom is an alltimer and there's plenty to like
This was a pleasant surprise
I’ve heard her song Venom around the internet, but never know who it was. Finding it here was cool! Enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
Love that her London accent comes out. Never heard of her before, but I’m impressed. A good UK hip-hop album. Favorite songs: Boss, Selfish, Venom, and 101 FM.
Old schoolimman kaman jälkeen tää tuntui virkistävän erilaiselta. Kiinnostavat taustat ja saundi, 4/5
When it's good, it's very good (Selfish, Venom) but some filler, not as good overall as Sometimes I might be Introvert
ok, this is entertaining. fun even. I dont like MOST rap. ,But unlike most urban stuff , this has some nice head candy / enjoyable musical sounds, pace, attitude, and its lyrical and fast. The lyrics are catchy. But they cant be sung out loud in public. Fun irrisistable new music for me. 4. ***(I am impressed my her releases since this 2019 album. Her style has evolved veryu quickly and her African and jazz influenced album is very VERY enjoyable to listen. An artist to watch - maybe my eyes werent open or int he right places ?***
From the top of the flats.
Ik zou het zelf niet snel opgezet hebben, maar ik vond deze toch wel erg lekker hoor. Ze heeft een hele intrigerende stem en de nummer hebben een super lekkere flow erin zitten. Het is echt niet per se mijn type muziek, maar ik snap wel echt dat dit op de lijst staat. Het blijft van het begin tot het eind interessant. 4 sterren.
Great album! She's got an awesome music and acting career. Dual threat. 4/5
I’m really happy this is on here, one of the best hip-hop records of the last few years
I like this more than I thought I would. The newer British hip hop has been stronger than I might have thought.
Dynamic and interesting record with amazing string and acoustic instrumentation. Nice use of guest vocalists and some hard hitting lyrics and themes. Great stuff and a shining example of what rap music can be
Self-empowered and confident, this album is excellent.
this a boss ass bitch fr didn't expect to like this album as much as I did
Little Simz, eh? What a surprising treat this is. Not that I think modern rap = bad but it simply slaps. Nicki Minaj and Cardi B could never.
heard recently, listened to again incredible production, really fresh
Now here we go. This is VERY different (and better) than the monotonous and repetitive UK artists we have heard. Firstly because this isn't a rock album. I've been dying to hear some UK Hip Hop artists and had no idea about Little Simz. Boy am I glad we got this one. This was an awesome showing that makes me want to listen to all of her other albums too. At a tight 35 minutes, it gets to the point, has a ton to say, on top of great beats and lyrics. I've already listened to this album twice and excited for more plays. Offence, Selfish, Venom, 101 FM are all standouts for me. Really digging the cover too.
Great album! She may be British, but I'm still surprised to see Little Simz included on this list. She's been one of the most exciting new rappers in the last few years, and it started with this album for me. I think it's still my favorite, even though many would say SIMBI is her best (and NO THANK YOU is also really good). This one just feels more organic to me, more out to prove she's got it than making a grand statement. Really great to hear this again. Favorite tracks: Boss, Offence, Venom, 101 FM, Sherbet Sunset, Wounds. Album art: A great artistic portrait cover here, black and white but I'll allow it since it's decidedly grey. 4.5/5
English rap, with heavy minimalist beats.
Wow
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would.
Excellent album, grew stale towards the middle but recovered at the end
8/10. could've had way more of this, i'll definitely listen again.
A very good album. 8/10
This album really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. Little Simz flow was phenomenal and her lyrics confronting social issues were some of the best I’ve heard. The music itself had such a great groove that once I started listening, I was in the album until the end.
Este fue un descubrimiento
Lyrically fantastic and the music had great variety too
Not my usual go to but this was a fun album/artist to find and I enjoyed it a lot!
“Never givin’ credit where credit is due Because you don’t like pussy in power” These are great lyrics put to great beats. I am very impressed by Little Simz especially when I’m usually grossed out by female rappers (sorry Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion)
Really enjoyed this record. Amazing lyricism, great beats, good production. This might be my favorite 'Little Simz' project.
like rnb and rap together, it's fun! maybe a 4. reminds me of tiny tempah. I love a good british rapper.
4.5/5
One digs an MC with style and originality. Three or four good to great tracks. The more melodic flows are best –- see "Selfish," see "Flowers."
It's a shame I never listened to this one before. It's certainly because I rarely enjoy rap, it's just not my style usually. This album really does deserve the praise it got when it came out. The flows and the beats are amazing and Little Simz really has an amazing presence throughout this album. The features on the album are also all amazing. Solid 8,3/10
The production is cool and I liked this album more than I remembered.
I was disappointed when I saw this pop up because I'm just not generally a fan of rap, R&B, or hip-hop. But I gave it a listen trying to be open-minded and the beats were catchy. Then I heard this line "Unapologetically I be bossin' it, getting better with age" and it resonated with me. A great thing to hear on my first day back at work since the holiday break, with huge transitions on my professional horizon, and it just felt like the exact right thing to hear. That's what makes music great for me, when the content strikes a chord personally and emotionally regardless of genre, artist, or time. This album while not my genre of choice, is soaked in authenticity and genuine artistic expression; that is something I can get behind. Props to this queen for using her music to speak her truth and share her soul with the world.
I expected to give this a 2, but I quite enjoyed this. I haven't had a good track record with modern music, so this was a nice surprise. I liked the themes of the album, and I actually enjoyed the beats, which I usually don't in modern rap songs. I was also impressed by the flow. Overall, solid album. My favourite song was Wounds.
Really enjoyed listening, super cool beats/samples, hooks and arrangements. Love the Yukimi feature on pressure.
I really liked this album. Wounds, venom and pressure were all great. She does a nice job picking themes for each song and her commentary is great. I just don’t understand how this and not similar albums (invasion of privacy or before love came to kill us) didn’t get on this list. I’m confused how that was determined.
Once again it really strikes me as odd that of all the offerings in this genre this list goes with the British pick. Also I would argue that her cadence is a little too similar in many songs. That said this was pretty enjoyable.
Can I say Simz is the greatest female rapper of all time yet? Maybe not but I think she will be by the time her career is over. On the technical side she is a great rappper but where she really shines is her personal lyricism and ability to deliver a message. I don't think this is her best project, mainly down to the beats not being as ambitious as her later projects. If I got SIMBI or NO THANK YOU (and there will likely be more in the future) here this would be an easy 5 but I don't think this is the project where she nails it. If you haven't listened to the rest of her catalogue yet though you need to fix that immediately.
Richtig gute Beats vor allem der Song Boss ist top
I appreciated listening to this today quite a bit. There was lots about it that I really liked. It’s not an album I’ll probably choose to play again ever, but it was a really good journey for today.
"I'm a boss in a fucking dress!" is the line I've always wanted but never knew. Still not my genre, but this was an interesting listen for today.
it slaps fr
Really good, the lyricism is strong and powerful and she's got great flow with her rapping.
Excellent - groovy and modern
Really fun album, especially liked Offence and Boss. I enjoyed how this artist played with eclectic sound effects in her music, it gave the tracks a playful edge to their confident/harder lyrics and beats. This album was the first British rap album I've listened to, and listening to the unique cadence of Little Simz's voice made GREY Area a novel and funky listening experience.
Really liked it...which is unsurprising given how much I tend to like English Rap. The production was pretty top notch. 4/5
Fire. Almost another Sault album with inflo producing it. great stuff all round
Really good.
Liked it! Favorite song was Venom, Wounds a close second
Solid 4.5
surprisingly good, rare occasion uk gives something good, would listen again
Total surprise. Great flow, amazing beats. If this is the warm up for her masterpiece, as Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert is supposed to be, then bring that record on.
Unique and refreshing
Love this one. 4
This album was a huge surprise. I knew nothing about Little Simz before this, and despite not being a perfect album, it definitely turned me into a fan.
Little Simz is one of the only good things going for British Hip-Hop. The other is Slowthai. This album propelled Little Simz into the mainstream for good reason. Many of the songs use unique samples and instrumentals reminiscent of TPAB or TA13OO. The lyrics are simultaneously catchy and deep. Great album. Best Songs: Offence, Selfish, Wounds, 101 FM, Sherbet Sunset Worst: Pressure
4/5. It’s a pretty well-rounded rap album that doesn’t really have a bad song on it. There are just some songs I’d skip after a few listens.
I loved this! Fantastic beats and arrangement, creative and unique. Plus bonus star because I've got a soft spot for British rap.
oi it's brilliant, bruv
Something different but also not my favorite genre
More my sort of generation. Really good and enjoyed a lot
solid
Great. Hip hop's good. Wouldn't expect this to make the list really.
I had never heard of Little Simz before. This was a really great introduction. The music is velvety smooth. The lyrics are great. I was almost on the edge of my seat listening to Wounds. Little Simz exposes so much of herself and is so vulnerable through all these songs. You get the sense that it is that surrender that gives her the strength to sing about the challenges and even the tragedies of her life. Really nice record.
Un album parfaitement conclu par notre ami Michael Kiwanuka qui nous a évidemment rappelé l'épisode de l'intrusion de Norbert Episode au sein de mon domicile allemand. Sans parler de la prise d'otage…
Quand le rap britannique évite de parler de couteaux et de braquage, c'est tout de suite beaucoup plus agréable.
liked this one a lot
Easily one of the best rap albums of the last few years. The production especially shines through it’s use of actual instruments. Each song feels unique in it’s own way. My one knock is that Simz uses the same British monotone cadence on every single song. I think it holds the music back a bit. 4.25 stars
Current favorite songs: 101 FM, Sherbet Sunset.
🙂
Loving the vibes. Great rap and rock under tones.
Great vibes in this album. Rock and rap. I’m Loving it!
British hip hop, I'm in.
La production est superbe. J’aime beaucoup ce type de hip-hop et les collaborations sur cet album amènent une belle diversité. J’ai découvert cet album il y a quelques semaines et j’y reviens souvent. C’est une artiste que je vais suivre.
Jako jako dobar. Cak mi i maaalo bolji od sometimes i might be an introvert
Ona mi je jedna od najdražih nadolazećih reperica, umjetnica u tom području. Definitivno se probila sa zadnjim albumom, i pokazala koliko je kvalitetna. Ovo joj je prvi, ali bome ima tu par pjesama koje sam mal-mal si znao pustiti. - Offence, Boss, Venom, 101 FM, Pressure....Vrijedi poslušati!
Fantastic example of the lyrical complexity of modern rap. Great tracks to support the tone, and altogether a great listen. Not something I'm quick to put on, but when I do, it's always the right vibe
Deze meid kan wel een stukje rappen! Ik kon het verrassend genoeg wel smaken
Intrigued as I saw some of Little Simz at Glastonbury - not my usual go to of music but enjoyed selfish and venom - good to see
Belle découverte ici. Beats rafraîchissants, bon flow. Je vais assurément revenir à cet album.
Amai die was eigenlijk echt goed maaar nog steeds geen classic hoor en hoort dit al in deze lijst?
I really liked this!!
Crash Bandicoot, Mortal Kombat
very good. the lyrical content clearly isn't aimed at me but when has that ever stopped me liking something that sounds good.
Sweet production that sounds like it could come from a Tarantino kung fu movie and tough sounding vocal and lyrics. UK Hip Hop is sounding pretty healthy with this. Best Tracks: Offence; Boss; Venom
Good music
Breath of fresh air, this. Sounds like hot sunny London summer days. Really enjoyed it.
Hip-hop femenino mezclado con soul, pop... Venga, un 4.
4/5
05/03/2022 Hadn't heard of Little Simz before this, but wow, she kills it. Mega talent.
Quality record, really enjoyed it, a great find 4/5
Really enjoy Little Simz tunes and her voice, she's a bit too spikey to be a 5, but that's also part of her overall charm
Have listened to a couple of Little Simz songs and never really got the hype, I am not really into British Hip Hop so wasn’t really expecting much from this. But to my surprise I really enjoyed this. Great backing beats and her vocals really flow. Also a pleasant surprise for Michael Kiwanuka to feature at the end of the album.
It gets off to a great start with the funky bass-line and flutes in “Offence”, but the second track “Boss” was raw and irritating. Overall, I like her cool, laid-back delivery. I prefer the tracks co-performed with other artists, as I find singing gives the rapping something to contrast to. It's interesting she co-wrote all tracks with Dean Josiah Cover, the guy behind of one of my favourite under-the-radar projects, “Sault”, and he produced it as well. I think this definitely adds to the melodic feel of the album.
Top new discovery! Heard the singles but the album really holds up to them. Will defo revisit this!
She has such great flow and the lyrics are excellent too. Fun beats and a really tight length
Not my normal cup of tea but this is a very well-made album.
3.5/5. This was good, not amazing. Selfish is my favorite off this album. This album is better than average, however, some songs were not my favorite.
i love little simz
Knew nothing about this artist but enjoyed this music.
I'd never heard of Little Simz before listening to this..... and had low expectations, but I really enjoyed this. Loved the creativity and depths to the arrangements.
Really interesting, and good, with funny songs, important songs, and catchy songs. Not all uk hip hop is this good. Favourite part was the (possibly coincidental) nod to Akala when she spoke about escaping the "fuckery" - in a line with a very 'Akala' flow to it
I really liked this one a lot! I thought the rhythms were interesting and varied, and I liked what I could catch of the lyrics. It felt more like a cohesive album than some of the other recent ones. I might explore some more of her music
Groovy laid back beats. Little Simz flow was on point all the way through. Really good album, almost edges on a perfect 5. Favorites: "Venom", "101 FM", "Flowers"
Started out thinking there’s not a lot here for me after the first 2 songs. But then I liked Selfish, a rap/hip hop/R&B song, also Wounds and Venom, the Asian tinged groove of 101 FM, and well, it turned out I liked a lot here. Hm.
Ugh I love this. Little Simz is so talented. And I love the production too, Inflo is so talented (loved his production on Adele’s 30 too).
Has all the makings of a modern classic - smart lyrics, engaging sounds, charismatic rapper, Simz is a proper artist making music to make you think and bob your head. Too new for five stars but that’s the direction of travel we are talking here - she’s that good.
GREAT
wouldn't listen to again due to the explicit lyrics, but