SZA

SZA's 'S.O.S.' – her first album in five years and potentially her last – is sprawling, superb and rarely puts a foot wrong.

“I’m making the best album of my life for this next album,” SZA told Flaunt in 2020 and ‘SOS’ is just that – a phenomenal record that barely puts a foot wrong and raises the bar even higher than she set it before. Texas rapper Don Toliver joins the pity party on ‘Used’, bemoaning a relationship that “feel[s] like it’s over” through glassy autotune, while a raw, urgent sample of [Ol’ Dirty Bastard](https://www.nme.com/en_au/artists/ol-dirty-bastard) (taken from documentary footage) reinforces SZA’s majestic, powerful aura on the masterful album closer ‘Forgiveless’. If that record set her up as the girl-next-door of R&B, how could she continue in that role with all the world’s focus on her and her private life? “I wish I was special / I gave all my special away to a loser / Now I’m just a loser,” she laments. The subjects on the new record could easily tackle fame and the pressure of the spotlight, but SZA keeps things relatable, dealing with everything from issues with partners, feeling enraged when you see an ex with someone new, and struggling with self-esteem issues. That record ushered in a new era for R&B, one where the genre’s boundaries shifted, bringing new levels of inventiveness into a classic sound and fusing it with indie, alternative, trap and more.

The US star's follow-up to her groundbreaking debut ranges wildly, from pop-punk to traces of Radiohead and a Phoebe Bridgers feature.

But the words are largely downcast, even when they are not dealing with romantic woe, flitting between demands to be left alone – “I need more space and security,” she pleads on Gone Girl – and demands for validation: “How do I deal with rejection?” she ponders on Far. There are tracks that feel as if they were intended to come out in the summer – Too Late and Far have a gentle sunlight-dancing-on-the-water quality – and tracks that feel as if they are emerging from within a dense cloud of weed smoke during a long, dark night of the soul, such as the abstract Low, with its urgent request that you “get the fuck out of my space”. In May, she announced the album was “ready to go”, promising “a SZA summer”. She is a fabulous vocalist, powerful but unshowy, capable of shifting seamlessly into what the Grammy awards call melodic rap: a mellifluous sprechgesang, its flow peppered with triplets that seem less inspired by Migos than Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. There are tracks that recall Ctrl’s lo-fi haze, but there is also Special, which appears to be wondering: “What if Radiohead were an R&B act?” It nods in the direction of Thom Yorke and co both in an intro of lazily strummed guitar and twinkling, celeste-like tones that evokes No Surprises, and its lyrics, or at least some of them. It suggests someone continually adding to and augmenting a project, or perhaps throwing everything they’ve got at it, fuelled by the feeling that they might not do this again.

'SOS' evokes memories of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,' 'Beyoncé,' Rihanna's 'Anti' and even Taylor Swift's 'Red.'

Do these lines (and the many more like them) make “SOS” sound like a slog? (The album’s “general theme is: I’m pretty pissed,” SZA said this week in a radio interview with Hot 97.) Indeed, there’s actually a third rap cut on “SOS” at the midpoint of this 23-track set, and it might be the most stank-face-inducing of all: “Your favorite athlete screaming, ‘Text me back,’” she raps in “Smoking on My Ex Pack,” the words steaming like cooling lava, “I make no exception — the lesser part of me loves all the cap.” Like Swift, SZA writes with pinprick precision about the illusions that prop up ideas of romance and about the grim exhilaration to be found in crashing through them. Working with a varied cast of studio pros including DJ Dahi, Babyface, Benny Blanco, Shellback, Rodney Jerkins, Carter Lang and ThankGod4Cody, SZA paints a detailed portrait of millennial insecurity. (That sound you hear is hundreds of music critics cursing the fact that they published their She describes her fear of giving away what makes her special; she admits that if she were her ex, she wouldn’t take herself back.

SZA dropped her new 23-track album 'S.O.S.,” featuring Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, on December 9.

But “PSA” is nowhere to be found on the new release, which gives us some hope that she was lying when she [said](https://archive.flaunt.com/content/music/sza-new-fantasy-issue-feature) that the album below would be her last. [SZA](https://www.vulture.com/2017/06/sza-ctrl-interview.html) dropped the single [“Good Days”](https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/hear-szas-new-song-good-days-released-on-christmas-day.html) as a Christmas gift to fans nearly two years ago. [“Shirt”](https://www.vulture.com/2022/10/sza-shirt-music-video-release.html) landed on streaming services. “It’s about heartbreak, it’s about being lost, it’s about being pissed,” SZA said of the album [to People](https://people.com/music/sza-confirms-sophomore-albums-release-date-on-saturday-night-live/). There’s representation on S.O.S. S.O.S.

After a lengthy five-and-a-half-year wait, SZA has finally released her Ctrl followup, SOS. Clocking in at approximately one hour and 10 minutes, ...

The highly-anticipated album’s eclectic list of contributors gives SZA the space to explore a variety of sonic planes ranging from her traditional R&B to trap, indie and more, but her lyrical and vocal prowess remain strong and consistent throughout. She knows how to harness her vocal power and the honesty and vulnerability in her words, not only making her a favorite for critics but also keeping the relatability many connected with in Ctrl. Her first album in over five years is finally here.

SZA ends her five-year hiatus with the release of her second album 'SOS,' which was released Friday (Dec. 9) via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records.

9) via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records.SOS follows CTRL, her classic debut album that Previously released singles “Good Days,” “I Hate U” and “Shirt” are also included in the album, which have all reached the top 20 of the [Billboard Hot 100](https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/), as well as the full-length version of the oft-teased snippet “Blind,” which she [performed on Saturday Night Live](https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sza-snl-performance-videos-sos-album-1235180830/) last weekend. For the cover story, Billboard had an earlier listen to select tracks of the album and described SOS as her “most daring body of work yet…. S.O.S is an album that certainly justifies a five-year wait.” 9) via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records. 10 edition).

Contemporary R&B songstress SZA (real name: Solana Rowe) is a beloved gem in the genre. Ever since 2011, SZA has been sprinkling her magic with sensual ...

In the song, SZA makes it clear that all she wants is for her partner to act accordingly and make her feel secure so that they can be together without the drama. However, the hitmaker has done a really good job of keeping her romantic relationships out of the public eye. [SZA](https://www.distractify.com/t/sza) (real name: Solana Rowe) is a beloved gem in the genre. In essence, they find themselves falling deeper in love with someone although they’re clearly no good for them and don’t share the same feelings. As fans find themselves jamming to the sensual track, plenty have debated on the actual meaning of the song. [Shirt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdFDrjfW548),” fans are wondering what the song means.

Few artists have ever stepped out as fully formed as SZA did on her 2017 debut · Bolstered by woozy R&B earworms like 'Love Galore' and 'The Weekend', the record ...

It’s fair to say SOS might just be one of the most hotly anticipated records in recent memory, and with SZA currently operating at her creative peak, expect nothing but a classic. With the exception of a few collaborations, it would be years until SZA released any new solo material, with industry rumours rife that she and the manager of her record label TDE weren’t on good terms. Just days ago, the evocative album artwork for SOS was released, and a tracklist arrived shortly after. The new album was finally ready, and hype was at its absolute peak. Bolstered by woozy R&B earworms like ‘Love Galore’ and ‘The Weekend’, the record instantly resonated with millions across the world, who were longing for her to release a sophomore project. Lyrically bold and sonically ambitious, Ctrl perfectly encapsulated the mid-twenties experience, with SZA’s brutally honest songwriting and unique vocal inflections asserting her as [a generational talent](https://fashionjournal.com.au/music/five-years-of-szas-ctrl/).

2022's not over yet, and this week's Notable Releases includes one of the most widely-anticipated albums of the year, SZA, as well as The Sound of Animals ...

[Gore](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/deftones-announ/) and 2020's [Ohms](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/brooklynvegans-top-55-albums-of-2020/)), and now Chino returns to Crosses to close out 2022 with a new EP from the group, Permanent.Radiant. [Circa Survive EP](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/circa-survive-are-making-some-of-the-best-music-of-their-career/) before the band [went on hiatus](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/circa-survive-compile-two-new-eps-for-final-pre-hiatus-lp-two-dreams-exclusive-vinyl/), put out a [great new solo album](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/rico-nasty-flo-milli-joey-badass-anthony-green-wake-sonagi-fixation-stand-still-spaced-suicide-machines-john-moreland-reviews/), and launched his new supergroup [L.S. ['Rising' feature on Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/mercury-rapper-interview-tabula-rasa/), Mercury talked about why Kid Cudi was important enough to her to get a tattoo of him, called Young Thug the best rapper alive, shouted out Young Thug affiliate Gunna, and credited her dad with introducing her to Memphis rap like Three 6 Mafia and Tommy Wright III. [Ctrl](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/141-best-albums-of-the-2010s/) has been a long, [rocky](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/tdes-punch-addresses-the-long-wait-for-szas-new-album-we-know-exactly-when-its-coming-out/) road, but SOS is finally here and it was well worth the wait. Now just the duo of Chino and Far guitarist Shaun Lopez (they [parted ways](https://loudwire.com/crosses-insight-split-chuck-doom/) with bassist Chuck Doom), Permanent.Radiant picks up where Crosses' debut left off and it also continues the creative hot streak Chino has been on with Deftones. You can definitely hear how her own music was influenced by both Kid Cudi and Young Thug -- it ranges from poppy and melodic to weird and psychedelic to hard-hitting rap. [year-end lists](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/tags/best-of-2022/) continue to come out, but this month is not a total dead zone; in fact, one of the year's most widely-anticipated albums didn't come out until this week. Posthumous bars from the late Ol' Dirty Bastard (including sampled bits of "The Stomp") spice up the dusty boom bap of album closer "Forgiveless" (which also samples Björk’s "Hidden Place"), and SZA provides ear candy to her indie rock fans by bringing in Phoebe Bridgers to sing the bridge on "Ghost in the Machine." It has moments of pure catharsis, and moments of utter weirdness, and it's the kind of EP that only The Sound of Animals Fighting could write. Don Toliver, "Notice Me," "Conceited") to bare-bones and acoustic ("Blind," "Nobody Gets Me," "Special") to moments that fall somewhere in between, and she works in a few surprises along the way too. She straight-up raps on "Smoking On My Ex Pack," dives into murky trap on "Low," and perhaps the most unexpected moment is "F2F," a loud, stadium-sized, full-on rock song that SZA pulls off just as well as she pulls off the quiet songs (and which has an uncredited Lizzo appearance). It's also been a busy year for Rich Balling, who put out the guest-filled debut album by his new hyperpop project [Hospital Gown](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/gladie-caitlin-rose-foushee-squint-hospital-gown-reviews/).

Despite label scuffles and self-imposed pressure, SZA's 23-track sophomore album is a breezy, cohesive pleasure.

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SZA performs at the 2022 ACL Music Festival in Austin, Texas. Tim Mosenfelder--FilmMagic. By Andrew R. Chow and Moises Mendez II. December ...

Looking for the week's best new music? Check out our revamped Songs You Need to Know playlist.

Hear tracks by Paramore, Sparklehorse, Lana Del Rey and others.

New music releases this week come from SZA, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Lana Del Rey and more.

Five years since the release of her debut album 'Ctrl,' SZA is back with her sophomore LP 'SOS.'

“F2F” arrives halfway through the album like whiplash. The first verse is a fake-out with SZA singing over acoustic strums before the electric guitars come ...

Her sophomore album, SOS, is finally out today (December 9). With new collaborations from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, the ...

Smokin' On My Ex Pack,” the tenth song on SZA's new album 'SOS' features SZA rapping for the first time.

But “Smoking on My Ex Pack” is a shot across the bow, a game changer that arrives in less than 90 seconds. In the context of her career, it’s also a flex; her best is not her limit — it’s the floor. With it comes the line “Them hoe accusations weak/Them bitch accusations true.” Scripture!

SZA's long-awaited 'SOS' album does not disappoint — it's transcendental R&B at its most entrancing and inventive.

And the quiet, bass-and-banjo-plucked “Ghost in the Machine,” with [Phoebe Bridgers](https://variety.com/t/phoebe-bridgers/), find both women’s signature dulcet tones harmonizing in Moebius strip-like fashion. [Travis Scott](https://variety.com/t/travis-scott/) takes the ballad’s low-voiced center, while the spare, guitar-plucked tune allows her tender voice and its chord shifts a grand and gorgeous ascension The twinkly “Used” finds a sultry SZA matching goodbyes and swinging blues with Texan vocalist [Don Toliver](https://variety.com/t/don-toliver/). On the subtly swirling “Blind,” she’s so poised for a fight, “They’re calling me Cassius/And raunchy like Bob Saget.”) From there, and throughout “SOS,” her intuitive sing-rapping cadence and impromptu, jazzy flow portray her as both insulated and outgoing, withdrawn and looking for resolve (be it love, inner harmony or conflict), but battle-ready. SZA’s five-years-in-the-making follow-up to 2017’s “Ctrl” is cinematic in its scope and tone as it ripples with elements of folk, jazz, pop and ambient electronica and brings in undertones of even surf, trap, grunge and AOR rock to get to its avant-R&B heart. [SZA](https://variety.com/t/sza/)’s newly released “SOS” isn’t simply a statement piece: It’s practically a new bible of abstract contemporary soul.

SZA's new album “SOS” arrived on December 9 with songs titled “Kill Bill,” and “Gone Girl,” lyrics referencing Aaliyah and Beyoncé, as well as samples of Ol ...

She pulls a Taylor Swift in “Special,” a pop track about a loser who made her feel like a loser. She also samples Icelandic singer Björk, borrowing from the ambient electronic song “Hidden Place.” “I don’t care ’bout consequences, I want my lick back,” SZA raps over the trippy beat and old-school hip-hop sample. “All these bitches is minions, despicable like, ooh (Oh).” The sixth movie reference. “Screaming at you in the Ludlow / I was yours for free / I don’t get existential,” Phoebe adds. “Those who have forsaken their humanity / They like to patch their life with morality,” he says. Now, it’s “hate,” not resignation, that provides the “fuel.” “And ain’t nobody talkin’ ’bout the damage, pretendin’ like it’s all okay / I tried to erase, I live to escape.” What’s the password?” SZA asks. “I might kill my ex, not the best idea,” the chorus begins. “Inward I go when there’s no one around me / And memories drown me, the further I go,” she sings on the bridge, referencing Pike’s character in the film, who ran away from home after she discovered her husband (Affleck) cheated. “Remind you of Della Reese,” a lyric goes, shouting out the jazz and gospel singer, actor, talk-show host, and minister with a half-century-long career. SZA came on the album’s intro mad as hell (see lyrics like “Nah, li’l bitch, can’t let you finish” or “Yeah, that’s right, I need commissions on mine / All that sauce you got from me”).

SZA is thinking about a past love in her song “Nobody Gets Me.” On Friday, as she celebrated the release of her album SOS, the R&B superstar dropped a new ...

“The songs are looser and more confident,” read the review. [Ol’ Dirty Bastard] was freestyling in the back of the footage, so I took the audio.” The black-and-white visual, directed by Bradley J.