2014 is the year of TDE. Both Isaiah Rashad and ScHoolboy Q have already dropped massive albums on the burgeoning label, and now, SZA keeps the ball rolling with her own debut, Z. Truth be told, her album's excellence is no surprise to us, though, since we expected marvelous things from her as our #1 Artist To Watch in 2014. Prior to that, even, we acknowledge the singer having drifted into a lane of her own with her first two EPs, S and See.SZA.Run (the latter of which contains "Julia", an electro-pop effort that's re-released on Z). And now with her unique sonic consistency of soulful R&B vocals and an all-star electronic production lineup, SZA has officially established herself at the forefront of the blossoming wave of experimental R&B with her new body of work. Probably our immediate favorite off Z is "HiiiJack". Bearing TDE's three i's of heart, honor, and respect (derived from their "Hiiipower" mantra), the track functions as an exemplary display of SZA's vocal prowess. Signature production from the gifted hands of Toro y Moi allows SZA to coast effortlessly atop a challenging, yet rewarding instrumental; percussion scatters about the listening atmosphere; synths play a game of peek-a-boo; and electronic material flutters aimlessly, all while SZA's infectiously captivating vocals thrive in the midst of Toro y Moi's precisely calculated chaos. Following the effort is another favorite, "Green Mile", an absolutely colossal effort with instrumentation from the venerable mind of Emile. Blow after blow of earth-shattering bass, grandiose brass, and crisp percussion accumulate to build an ideal platform for SZA to again showcase her vocal strength. SZA wasn't about to go the artistic distance without some assistance from fellow TDE freshman, Isaiah Rashad, however. After SZA helped out on "Ronnie Drake", Rashad decided that it was only fair to return the favor and give some vocals on "Warm Winds". And while he doesn't drop off a new verse, he instead harmonizes with SZA on one of the song's many incredible segments. It's an interesting and extremely applicable artistic inclusion, and many others exist throughout Z, but, after hearing SZA's meritorious work overall, we can assume that whoever made the call to sign her at Top Dawg is wearing a bit of grin today. Buy Z now on iTunes.
SZA