October must be the month of new music. Some of my favorite artists like Betty Who and Jessie J have released albums, and I was lucky to have newcomer Tinashe come across my radar. This futuristic R&B songstress caught my ear with her songs “Cold Sweat” and “2 On,” and now I find myself entranced by her music. Her first album, Aquarius, is a formal introduction to her world and possibly gives her a spot in my top albums of the year.
The album starts with “Aquarius,” her title song that sets the overall theme of the album. Her voice sounds fragile yet ready, with a constant build into a slow introduction. At points in the song between her ethereal verses, we hear what sounds like an announcement from an unknown man speaking of change and even says “the age of Aquarius, the dawn of a new era.” Tinashe is hitting us with subtle hints of what’s to come. She even ends the song with a faint whisper: “welcome to my world.”
Immediately preceding “Aquarius,” we enter into “Bet,” her hard-hitting promise to her man. The eccentric rhythm and heavy bass give a steep contrast to “Aquarius.” It’s a confident, strong song that ends with a scorching guitar solo by Dev Hynes bringing this standout to a triumphant close.
Then comes “Cold Sweat,” the song that made me fall in love with Tinashe. This song floats on humming synths and a strong beat making it a relaxing, sexy bedroom hit. What really gives this song that little something extra is the short-lived outro. At about two-thirds of the way through the song, it takes an effortless turn with a whole new melody and accompaniment. “This sh*t is hella scummy/They claiming that they love me/Cause they realize that my time is finally coming/They know it,” she sings, then you’re transported into an intoxicating, overpowering slew of sound full of wavering synths and rapid beats. Although I love “Cold Sweat,” I could do with about three more minutes of that explosive ending; it’s debatably the highest point of the album.
If we go straight through the album, we reach the first interlude “Nightfall.” That six-seconds of noise acts as the opener to “2 On” ft. Schoolboy Q, Tinashe’s hip-hop masterpiece. She slightly breaks away from her known R&B style and transforms it into a hip-hop, dance club hit. This ode to the party lifestyle is the perfect mash-up between her sensual style and current pop hits. This song is ready for the dance song and you can tell by the fierce, choreography-heavy music video.
Another more “mainstream” song is “Feels Like Vegas.” Her proud and commanding attitude prevails in this song. Tinashe is in control and loving every second of it. “Let me set the stage for you/Cause you know I like it when I dance for you,” she proclaims, setting herself up for supreme dominance.
As Aquarius comes to a close, we get the powerful “Wildfire.” This is her final declaration of her supremacy. She finishes out the album “with a spark into a pool of gasoline.” It has a tribal, percussive feel that is contrasted by the wobbly synth making an explosion of sounds that is music to my ears. This all leads to the outro, entitled, “The Storm.” It begins with crashes of thunder, feeling and sounding like a storm is not yet there, but surely on its way. Tinashe is not done quite yet; she, like the storm, is only getting started. If this is just the beginning, I can’t wait to hear what’s next.
