SZA finally released her long-awaited sophomore LP. On SOS, she manages to seamlessly transition between genres, from R&B to pop to a sprinkling of punk. She reinstates that her talent can bend genres. Having mastered the inner monologue, SZA takes us on a journey of healing, but most importantly, she finally gets her revenge.
Time and time again, SZA has reminded us that she is that artist who admits to her mistakes. This new, intimate, work feels like a conversation with a close friend. SOS holds similar themes to that of CTRL; relationships and love are explored, but unlike in her debut LP, SZA reflects on those same wounds having moved past the initial sting. She finally lets go of relationships that held uncertainty in order to save herself, or at least try to. SOS contains 23 tracks, but diverging from many equally bloated mainstream records, it doesn’t coast on a single style or rapidly lose steam. Practically every moment is worth relishing, fueled by SZA’s unmistakable blend of assurance and vulnerability, and highlights her more diverse, expressive songwriting style. In the soulful and profound album opener “SOS,” SZA reminds us of who she is and doesn’t hold back on what she thinks: “All the funny shit aside/I just want what’s mine,” she states.
Healing isn’t linear, and though the album gets at the importance of getting back on your feet, SZA still lingers on the inner turmoil of wanting someone that isn’t good for you. On the sticky-sweet catchy tune, “Kill Bill,” she confesses, “I might kill my ex/Not the best idea,” “I’d rather be in hell than alone.” She owns up to the worst of what someone might find themselves thinking—I wouldn’t want to see my ex in the “farmer’s market with his perfect peach” either. Acceptance is part of the discomfort of healing while still trying to maintain a sense of self; on “Smoking on My Ex Pack,” SZA reminds herself that she doesn’t need a man to be happy, and “Far” follows a similar concept.
However, she admits to not getting the last word every time; “Too Late,” and “F2F” find SZA in a position where she knows the choices she makes aren’t good for her. She willingly goes back to those past relationships that hurt her, and it’s difficult to admit. She proceeds to question her self-worth in “Special.” The album follows a nonlinear structure, one of IDGAF freedom in one moment but regret and anger in the other. SZA finds moments of well-earned peace, in songs like “Seek & Destroy” where in between all the discourse she finally gets to be the one with the last say. She preaches, “Danger arise and I deflect it.”
The growth is apparent between her debut album and sophomore, not just lyrically but musically as well. SZA managed to use a mix of her preferred R&B beats and shared the space with songs like “F2F,” a pop-punk anthem that blends perfectly without sounding out of place. SZA also brought an array of old and new collaborators into the project. Her longtime collaborator Travis Scott made a featured appearance on “Open Arms” as well as contributing background vocals on “Low.” Don Toliver, a friend of SZA’s, also made an appearance in “Used,” where his recognizable auto-tuned voice served as the chorus. Perhaps the most anticipated collaboration was Phoebe Bridgers, a four-time Grammy nominated singer. Phoebe’s music is vulnerable in content and style, making her the perfect collaborator for this song. In, “Ghost in the Machine,” the two singers deliver a commentary on the fate of our terminally online world. SZA and Phoebe remind us, “I need humanity.”
To close off the album, SZA lined up her unforgettable singles “Good Days” and “I Hate U,” serving as the bridge to what she has shown her fans throughout the years and the final closure of this new chapter for her. With a posthumous unreleased verse, 90s rap icon Ol’ Dirty Bastard ends the project, stating, “It’s all love.”
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What an excellent review, thank you for writing about SZA this way.