Little Simz is a 27 year old MC, singer & actress from London, England who’s been making music for a little over a decade now . She put out a total of 4 mixtapes & 5 EPs leading up to her full-length debut A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons in the fall of 2015, which has been followed up with a couple more albums & EPs since then. But just a year & a half after showing her artistic evolution on GREY Area, she’s back in effect in the form of S.I.M.B.I. (Sometimes I Might Be Introvert).
“Introvert” is an extravagant opener taking you on a journey of what it takes to be a woman whereas “Woman” has a bit of a jazzy, neo-soul vibe paying homage to her female idols. “2 Worlds Apart” has a beautiful soul sample basically telling this man that they’re not the same just before detailing her relationship with her father on the neo-classical “I Love You, I Hate You”.
After the Little Q” interlude, the actual “Little Q” song itself is a harmonious declaration that her journey has just begun & after the “Gems”, interlude, “Speed” takes a more dancier turn talking about how influential she is. “Standing Ovation” takes a turn back into symphonic territory saying she’s blessed leading into “I See You” having a more stripped back sound asking her man all these serious questions.
Following the “Rapper That Came to Tea” interlude, “Rollin’ Stone” has a more boastful tone into a more grime/trap sound whereas “Protect My Energy” explains why she loves being alone & the instrumental is a bit of 80’s throwback. After the “Never Make Promises” interlude, “Point & Kill” has a bit of a minimal yet funky sound saying that you can’t stop her.
The song “Fear No Man” shifts into tribal territory telling cats to leave her alone today & after the “Garden” interlude, the penultimate track “How Did You Get Here?” serves as a piano ballad reflecting on where she is now. “Miss Understood” is a lush closer telling herself to keep pushing through no matter what.
For those who’re still unfamiliar with Little Simz, I think S.I.M.B.I. (Sometimes I Might Be Introvert) would be the perfect gateway into her discography. The lyrics are her most personal yet & it’s really great to hear her expanding her versatility in terms of the overall sound of the album.
Score: 5/5
Legends Will Never Die 