Any musician must find a route to the future. That next step is crucial. A blanket statement there, one which applies to any artist. If you are not pushing forward and taking risks, stagnation sets in and is hard to break from. Once a creative is comfortable with what they have, they lose their edge. Little Simz has actively, consistently, tried to keep ahead. It means releasing pieces like Drop 7, an EP of throwaways which was, more than anything, an important showcase of an ever-evolving sound. Lotus is the sum of that need to keep pushing, the creative urge must be kindled in new areas. If you live in a house, you do not confine yourself to one room. Many artists are doing that in the studio, keeping themselves in one spot, convincing themselves there are dangers out there, in the living room or the kitchen. Lotus bursts through with confidence.
Simz wishes for this album to be a transformation, a blossoming moment in a discography already filled with reinvention, with changes to the tone, image, and musical style. That is what keeps her interesting as a performer and creative. Opening song Thief is fantastic, a confident instrumental surge, a new direction for Simz, whose commentaries on the world are still burning bright. Those flowers which blossom despite the muddy conditions, the darker days ahead, are a metaphor which can be manipulated any which way Simz sees fit. In the right hands, a message as broad as this finds itself pulling at the personal and public positioning, the sense of growth in a world which is shrinking fast. Lotus maintains this mood brilliantly with pieces like Flood and Young. The latter offers some fresh mockery, a vocal change which highlights the lighter flourishes and cultural commentaries found on Lotus. They are tinged with the desperation of the new generation, but also mark the old topics, the stereotypes of bingo, bills, and bringing yourself through life without noticing the small thrills.
Making the obvious sound magnificent is a true gift which Simz has and relates through Lotus. Free shares the desire not to be independent of a boss or judgment, but to be satisfied with what is at hand, to know how to improve it. These are moments of genuine positivity, backed by wonderful string sections, steady instrumental beats which complement the exceptionally strong wordplay found throughout Lotus. We seek perfection in one avenue of life because another has closed up on us, is failing to meet the high standard we would want. Simz suggests it is alright, allowed even, to have those moments of doubt in the times we love. There is an uncanny, almost uncomfortable expectation, from listeners now to hear the deepest and darkest thoughts of an artist. Simz does well to articulate how this demand is unfair, with powerful moments on Hollow.
Some outstanding moments to be heard on Lotus, most of which revolve around Simz’s continued growth as an artist. What does a creative owe us? Nothing. That is crucial to understanding Lotus, and the title track, for all its cool grooves and incredible instrumental strength, is a warning to those who expect this or that from musicians they have a tangible connection to. We want more, we expect a tour, an album, a tour again, and to what end? Creativity is not to be placed on a calendar. Simz returns with her first studio album since NO THANK YOU, and in the three years between that and Lotus, she has worked on some of her very best songs. There are phenomenal moments throughout Lotus, songs which speak from the heart not because we deserve to hear that, but because Simz, like many great artists, knows it is the only way to make yourself clear.
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