Quantum Baby

The second part of a planned trilogy from Tinashe, Quantum Baby, like first installment BB/ANG3L, is billed as an album but is just a shade over 20 minutes. The format proves again to be well-suited for the singer, providing another highly concentrated shot of material that shows her moving with ease -- sometimes blurring the line -- between sensual slow jams and pop-flavored dance tracks. Quantum Baby got off to a hot start with lead single "Nasty" (aka "match my freak"). A lean and carnal slow jam, it went viral and became Tinashes biggest hit since "2 On" (2014). The strategy of placing "Nasty" at the end, the climax, works as a pay-off after seven songs that might not have the same virality but are nearly as replayable. "No Broke Boys," produced by the "Nasty" team of Ricky Reed and Zack Sekoff plus Phoelix, is another career highlight, a thematic descendent of "Aint Nothin Goin on But the Rent" (Gwen Guthrie) and "No Scrubs" (TLC) with a chorus like a taunting double-dutch chant. Earlier standouts include the darting "Getting No Sleep" and the tingling "Thirsty," the latter providing evidence that the trap-soul idiom isnt quite bankrupt. ~ Andy Kellman

リッキー・リードの主宰レーベルに移ってからの2作目。バイラルヒットとなった電脳系ミッドの"Nasty"など90年代R&Bとトラップ・ソウルを繋ぐような曲が並ぶが、ノサッジ・シングらの制作によるアトランタ・ベース～2ステップ調の"Getting No Sleep"など、随所にK-Popガール・グループの影響も感じられる。歌声も含めクールに熱を放つ彼女の魅力が凝縮された快作だ。
bounce (C)林剛