Access denied

"A move from conscious R&B to sultry commercial pop: The 27-year-old star has shaken off the expectations she has been held to and, on her debut album, she is finally unapologetically herself".

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"A gorgeous album of sultry tunes, dreamy vocals, and memorable beats and hooks. It's a sensual album that belies its modern sheen - the synths warm and inviting instead of icy or robotic ... Though much of Access Denied has been buffed to a mainstream sheen, it still maintains an intelligence and originality that makes it stand out among other R&B albums of 2021".

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"Access Denied is an unabashedly mainstream record, one rattling with trap beats, Afropop and hip-hop-grade grandstanding. The aim, BLK explains in the opener, was always to be "the black Madonna" - but by being entirely herself, making music she would actually listen to. And while this approach brings with it some loss of individuality, the results overall - on the previously released MIA or Over You - remain convincing".

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