Spectreview: Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Released: September 3, 2021

Rap/Hip-Hop
(Conscious Hip-Hop)
(Neo-Soul)

-FUCHSIA PINK-

For a guide to the review color rating system, click here.

“Understand it comes with the process
I follow my intuition ’cause it knows best
I’m so used to gettin’ it on my own, yes
I know my people wanna see me win, I’ll never let you down”

In the words of everyone’s favorite vexed chef: finally some good fucking food. It’s telling that in a week featuring a new Kanye West record and a new Drake record, it’s London artist Little Simz that takes the artistry crown and runs so far with it she disappears at the horizon. Anyone who listened to 2019’s fantastic Grey AREA, and who payed attention to the upcoming singles, knew it was coming. In a sense, the only real disappointment with Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is that it gamely matches every single one of its sky-high expectations. As rap albums go, this is the real deal: It’s lush and diverse but narratively focused, and though track-wise it reads indulgent it’s only a little longer than a traditional LP in length, giving it the impression of a breezy listen despite how titanic some of these songs are.

I mean, it’s been a hot minute since we’ve been offered something akin to the one-two punch of “Introvert” and “Woman,” the record’s first (and best) singles. The former conjures an explosive orchestra behind Simz’s nervy introduction and manages to slip in a killer hook and an addictive string line; the latter is even better, a sumptuously smooth offering with a fantastic Cleo Sol chorus that puts Simz’s charisma and steely flow – both improved even beyond her best work – on full display. What comes afterward makes the most out of that momentum, from the green-leafed “Two Worlds Apart” (which orbits around a gorgeous Smokey Robinson sample) to the stuttering asphalt pound of “I Love You, I Hate You” to the bombastic half-suite showcase of “Standing Ovation” and the harmonic-led torch song of “I See You”.

Taking in Simz’s ambition on this record, it’s hard not to recall Kendrick Lamar’s specific approach to cinematic, thematically-rich hip-hop. It’s not a coincidental comparison; they’re mutual fans of each other, and he’s mentioned by name on “Two Worlds Apart.” One might thus be tempted to compare this record, with its introspectiveness and its stylistic density, to Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. In reality they’re fundamentally quite different beasts; great British rap – especially from the likes of Dave and slowthai (and even SAULT to a degree) – tends to more didactic and less cerebral than what commonly bubbles out of American scenes. Simz makes for a magnetic narrator, but she’s mostly still narrating, taking on most of the heavy lifting with her bars rather than relying on the musical storytelling that Lamar accomplished on his magnum opus to date.

That’s not to say that she doesn’t achieve what she accomplishes, or that she’s unaware of how the music she writes can color her words. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is first and foremost an examination of Little Simz, and historically that decision to focus on the self can be tricky if you don’t straddle the line between bold line-drawing and relatability. It’s an inherently challenging prospect, and to her credit she pulls it off here. Her dive into family dynamics (as on ‘Rollin Stone” and “I Love You, I Hate You”) are universally compelling, as are her tautological chest-puffs on “Speed” and “Standing Ovation”. One of the record’s most notable moments is her two-part foray into Afrobeat that directly summons her Nigerian heritage, with the Obongjayar-featuring “Point and Kill” that then leads into the percussion-heavy “Fear No Man.” Together they provide a unique quarter among the record’s orchestral sweep and hard-edged beats, even though their purpose doesn’t really go beyond laying down a supreme vibe. The one thing Simz could do better is link these disparate topics together with something stronger; a lot of the time it feels like she moves between one point to another without a sense of inertia, insofar as by the time we get to the record’s slow-burning climax “How Did You Get Here,” it’s tempting to ask that question yourself.

This is a small critique when compared to how strong this record plays on a purely tuneful level. If Simz set out to prove she’s the GOAT, there’s nary a moment here that doesn’t make a strong case for it. “Little Q Part 2” is built on a strangely affecting vocal line that punctuates the tragedy of a childhood gone wrong; “Protect My Energy” sees Simz ditch rapping altogether in favor of a bouncy, ‘80s-inspired jam led by her featherweight singing voice; “Rollin Stone” may quizzically circumvent melody for an album full of it, but the coldness of her flow more than makes up for it. By the time we get to beautifully muted closer “Miss Understood,” which functions as both a breather and a thematic loop closing, Simz has fully made her case. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert makes such a dazzling display of her prowess that it instantly becomes one of the best records of the year – It’s staggering to conceive of her reaching even greater heights.

Highly recommended for the two wolves inside you.