Ctrl

by 

SZA

AlbumJun 09 / 201714 songs, 49m 6s
Alternative R&B Neo-Soul
Popular Highly Rated

Until a late flurry of percussion arrives, doleful guitar and bass are Solána Rowe’s only accompaniment on opener “Supermodel,” a stinging kiss-off to an adulterous ex. It doesn’t prepare you for the inventively abstract production that follows—disembodied voices haunting the airy trap-soul of “Broken Clocks,” “Anything”’s stuttering video-game sonics—but it instantly establishes the emotive power of her rasping, percussive vocal. Whether she’s feeling empowered by her physicality on the Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Doves in the Wind” or wrestling with insecurity on “Drew Barrymore,” SZA’s songs impact quickly and deeply.

4158

8.4 / 10

The long-awaited debut from the Jersey singer is a opulent, raw R&B album that constantly tests the borders of the genre. SZA’s deeply personal lens on modern romance gives these songs endless life.

A-

For a while there, it seemed like SZA would never release Ctrl. The singer-songwriter (and sole R&B act on TDE, which also houses Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Isaiah Rashad) had released three brief but rich records: 2012’s See.SZA.Run, 2013’s S, and 2014’s Z. These were gauzy, atmospheric affairs, snapping to…

7 / 10

9 / 10

A strident statement on neurosis set against the challenges of modern relationships, SZA’s long awaited debut CTRL holds its own, head and shoulders above everything else released so far 2017.

On her long-awaited debut album, Top Dawg Entertainment R&B protege SZA makes a huge statement of intent.

7.8 / 10

CTRL speaks to the simultaneous scariness and liberation of opening ourselves up to others who are equally afraid to be hurt.

AllMusic provides comprehensive music info including reviews and biographies. Get recommendations for new music to listen to, stream or own.

9 / 10

The official major label album debut for Solána Imani Rowe, professionally known as SZA, is upon us. 2014's Z was technically termed a mixta...

8 / 10

SZA has finally blessed the world with her long-awaited debut label release, ‘CTRL’. With the release of her mixtapes in 2012 and 2014, which

(RCA)

8 / 10

75 %

Jersey-based alt-R&B singer SZA (pronounced “sizza”) has been around since 2013, kicking up hype with two mixtapes, an EP and a Rihanna feature.

3.5 / 5

SZA - Ctrl review: i feel like side-piece is an objectifying term and i reject its place in pop culture discourse. i also like the album

CtrlArtist: SZAGenre: R&B / SoulLabel: Top Dawg/RCAWelcome to a gritty, soulful and widescreen new R&B landscape.