Album Review: Banks - Goddess

There’s some pretty beautiful post-R&B getting made right now, and Banks is at the forefront of this push. A lot of this album feels familiar, with singles Waiting Game, Brain and the title track having been doing the rounds for a while now, but that doesn’t take away from the undeniable quality, nor the emotional impact, that the music holds.

When Jillian Banks is on, she quickly makes your world stand still. Her range is ridiculous and the 26-year-old LA native can deliver her lyrics stretched out or spitfire rapid, depending on the situation. The mix on the record is a dark one, more urban gloom than earthy lush. At times it sounds like Banks is presenting her heart to you in a leaky basement of a high-rise building, but the power and warmth of her voice means that the listening experience never comes off as isolated or cold.

Even at an hour long, the album doesn’t seem to hang around too long, a credit to the quality of songs on offer, and track placement. Cover to cover it flows gorgeously, moving from ambient trip hop to naked ballads and down-tempo pop seamlessly. There’s not a passage that punishes you in any way.

Sad thing is though, this album couldn’t have landed at a worse time, what with the universal acclaim being showered upon contemporary FKA Twigs LP1. Still, Goddess holds more than enough merit to stand alone under the flickering light, and will unquestionably age as well as that Bordeaux in the cellar.