Tinashe is Back (and More Lovesick Than Ever)
design: Katie Huang
The iconic (and criminally underrated) R&B singer is back with a stylish 20-minute jam session.
by KACIE MOSCHELLA ★ OCTOBER 03, 2023
With former label RCA in the rearview, R&B icon Tinashe has been free to indulge in her more experimental tastes: on Songs For You (2019) and 333 (2021), her first two self-released records, she swapped out her signature moody sonics for forward-thinking pop, including the simultaneously futuristic and vintage “Perfect Crime” and the drum-heavy “Shy Guy.” These two albums showcased Tinashe’s unique ability to switch between rapping and singing with a fervor unusually left-field for modern R&B. She clearly has been in a musical honeymoon phase since striking out on her own terms, and her latest project BB/ANG3L maintains her high spirits while amping up the style. At a tight seven tracks, BB/ANG3L is less cohesive yet just as bold.
Romance is an overwrought subject; it seems more difficult than ever for R&B artists to provide fresh perspectives on lust and love. However, Tinashe keeps it interesting by addressing messy hookups, heady crushes and throbbing heartbreaks with an equal amount of care for each project. She is catching feelings for (or thinking about catching feelings for) a lover in each of these songs, hazy about her own inhibitions. In the album's introductory song,“Treason” she is “running every red light” willing to “put it on the line” for her new love interest. On the groovy track “Needs” she demands sexual favors from her situationship, then immediately distances herself: “Boy, don’t call me.” Against the breezy production complimenting her vocals, she sounds about as concerned with her man as she is with her former label (which is to say, not very!)
Tinashe convincingly assumes the role of nonchalant seductress, but the intimate warmness of most of BB/ANG3L’s tracklist is what brings the album together. The lead single “Talk To Me Nice" is more of an upbeat jam, yet Tinashe’s background whispering leaves a sexier impression. The slow burn “Uh Huh" is as vocally rich as velvet; it sounds straight out of Mariah Carey’s “Daydream.” My personal favorite track is “Gravity” which sounds like an homage to Contact by Kelela (another underrated R&B banger from earlier this year). On “None Of My Business” she reduces a toxic hookup to an acetone addiction, but her soft voice lets us know she is not quite over him just yet.
While Tinashe’s songwriting on BB/ANG3L is a bit of a downgrade compared to 333, which was perhaps her best output to date, it is hard to distinguish when the product is this refreshingly fun. SZA’s SOS is also a clear inspiration for Tinashe, which is evident in her balladry paired with tight synth production. BB/ANG3L is also comparable to FKA Twigs’ CAPRISONGS, as both albums showcase artistic innovators at their most lovesick and carefree. Tinashe, SZA and FKA.
Twigs are all uniquely excellent at letting their vocality shine through on a track without ever toning down the dance-ability. Closer Tightrope especially highlights Tinashe’s talent for moody grooviness. In the music video for “Needs” Tinashe struts through an empty grocery store as her and her friends dance and laugh together. The aesthetically pleasing video perfectly captures the feel of BB/ANG3L; it is the perfect album to soundtrack questionable decision-making with your girls.
Whether Tinashe is confident, heartbroken or nostalgic, each of these songs is so addictively listenable that I don’t mind the project’s limited runtime.