SOS

"SZA was heralded for redefining R&B with her eclectic influences [on her debut] and 'SOS' takes that range even further. As well as grunge, pop-punk and acoustic guitars, it slinks through rumbling, dirty bass ("Low"), soulful, classic ballads ("Gone Girl"'), chipmunk soul ("Smoking On My Ex Pack"), and much more. In some other artists' hands, that collage could feel unfocused, but under SZA's command it feels cohesive, organic and like every skip into a new genre is completely justified for each track".

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"Did SOS need to be 23 tracks long? Not really. However it doesn't feel like SZA is trying to make the blueprint for the album arc - she's making a SZA album, no one else's. It's something self-indulgent that few could get away with, but every song finds its place effortlessly. So, rather than feeling too self-indulgent, it feels far more like we're the lucky ones SZA has chosen to share so much with".

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"SZA's second album was such a long time coming that it was preceded by a fifth anniversary deluxe edition of her debut (the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated 'Ctrl'), and enough loose tracks, soundtrack cuts, and featured appearances to make an LP-length playlist ... Hour-plus length and stylistic variety signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from 'Ctrl' in every respect apart from cohesion".

Read review

"SZA was heralded for redefining R&B with her eclectic influences [on her debut] and 'SOS' takes that range even further. As well as grunge, pop-punk and acoustic guitars, it slinks through rumbling, dirty bass ("Low"), soulful, classic ballads ("Gone Girl"'), chipmunk soul ("Smoking On My Ex Pack"), and much more. In some other artists' hands, that collage could feel unfocused, but under SZA's command it feels cohesive, organic and like every skip into a new genre is completely justified for each track".

Read review

"SZA's second album was such a long time coming that it was preceded by a fifth anniversary deluxe edition of her debut (the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated 'Ctrl'), and enough loose tracks, soundtrack cuts, and featured appearances to make an LP-length playlist ... Hour-plus length and stylistic variety signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from 'Ctrl' in every respect apart from cohesion".

Read review

"Did SOS need to be 23 tracks long? Not really. However it doesn't feel like SZA is trying to make the blueprint for the album arc - she's making a SZA album, no one else's. It's something self-indulgent that few could get away with, but every song finds its place effortlessly. So, rather than feeling too self-indulgent, it feels far more like we're the lucky ones SZA has chosen to share so much with".

Read review