If you are reading this, Boys Don’t Cry hasn’t dropped yet. In all honesty, there are probably a grand total of 9 people who are legitimately surprised by such an unfortunate reality, but nevertheless, Frank has all but solidified his status as Patron Saint of Procrastinators and Teases. For those of us eagerly awaiting the arrival of Boys Don’t Cry, the initial reaction might be to set angry Google alerts at work, sitting silently in pure indignation, but lest I remind you – Frank doesn’t owe us anything.
So, instead of mildly raging against Frank and his failure to meet a self-imposed deadline, take time to celebrate the opportunity to listen to any of the slew of excellent releases that happen to fall upon the same date. One such release is that of “wonky funk” goddess NAO. Its been a steady build to NAO’s debut record – two years’ worth of top of the line EP releases and single – with the ascent finally peaking with her 18-track deep LP, For All We Know.
The record features a number of tracks from Neo Jessica Joshua (the begetter behind NAO)’s fantastic string of EPs and singles, including the XXYXX laser beam through ganja haze single “Bad Blood,” that sees NAO squelch the assumption that she would be the latest iteration of FKA Twigs. While Joshua’s song-bird warble might resemble her contemporaries Twigs and Kelela, NAO maintains a certain sheen that distinguishes her from the gritty-post-Popcaan-rave that someone such as Kelela might. NAO’s musicality feels more cognizant of her R&B origins, opting for classic funk beats and tomes as opposed to integrating a fader-warped galactic overdrive.
NAO’s music feels more akin to the likes of fellow 2016 R&B stalwart Gallant – a reverential approach to the union of R&B, funk, and pop – while producing a wholly distinctive spin that appeases both the old-heads and Arthur-memeing Millennials. In a way, she has managed to fall into the ideal gray-area of modern R&B/soul, which could be attributed to her stint as a Jarvis Cocker session singer – her clean vocal production and heavy instrumentals help propel the record forward and into the realm of “must listen” for any and all.
An interesting facet of For All We Know is the fact that there’s a seemingly nondescript narrative to the record, in that there’s no definitive over-arching theme, but a sort of ping-ponging back forth between from the bowels of the club love scenarios and self-rumination on songs like the aptly titled “Fool to Love.” If there is any cohesive narrative to the album, it is the spirit, which Joshua is able to diffuse into and throughout the record; its emotionalism and realism wrapped up in a “wonky funk” beat. In fact, the “ping-ponging” featured throughout the record is arguably the strongest aspect of the record – Joshua dives into the London instrumental dark-wave on tracks like “Blue Wine” and pulling back into a vocally driven, more contemporary R&B groove on “Girlfriend.” In a sense, NAO has managed to make ping-ponging, flip flopping, etc., an art.
While the album more than exceeds all expectation linked to Joshua’s NAO initiative, a single track manages to rise above the rest - primarily for the wholly unique production of A.K. Paul melded with Joshua’s vocal chops - “Trophy.” The track features the compressed guitar sounds that have become tenants of both A.K. and his brother Jai, lending heavy funk bass that allows Joshua to go to town with one of her most impassioned vocal journeys on the entire record. It’s the assurance that NAO can appeal to both sides of the R&B listening-coin; she can innovate and pay homage all in the same song. In reality, For All We Know as a whole is Joshua’s confident assurance of such a fact, she can play the R&B genre both ways – with precision and uniqueness that have gone predominantly unseen. Joshua as NAO can take on either end of the spectrum, maintaining her standing amongst the FKA Twigs and Audra Days of the world; she truly is the queen of wonky funk.