It feels as though Tkay Maidza has been set to achieve household name status for several years now. The versatile Zimbabwean-Australian vocalist has all the ingredients to become the next big thing — her sound is a dream fusion of bass-heavy Megan Thee Stallion-esque rap and SZA-style alternative R&B.
Those reference points represent the furthest polarities of Maidza’s sound. Her previous release, the 2021 mixtape ‘Last Year Was Weird (Vol.3)’ stretched it as far as it could go, flipping from one extreme to the other with brash aplomb.
The relentlessly confident ‘Sweet Justice’ journeys just as far, but avoids whiplash by finding plenty of compelling middle ground. These 14 tracks are versatile and elegant, as approachable for fans of gentle neo-soul as they are those of maximalist modern hip hop.
The ‘heaviest’ moments arrive in the form of tracks such as WUACV and Ring-A-Ling. The latter is a particularly strong cut, recalling a more vocally dextrous, ultra-contemporary take on noughties Neptunes productions.
In terms of the more ‘calm’ tracks, several stand out. The jazzy Our Way is gorgeously textured, WASP’s future-funk soars and Walking On Air recalls Thundercat at his most emotionally resonant. The LP’s strongest moments, however, fuse these two states.
The Kaytranada-produced Ghost! is as effervescent as it is danceable, while Gone To The West sparkles with immaculately rendered sheen. Both are clear highlights and show how far Maidza has developed as an artist. Assured, accessible and cohesive, ‘Sweet Justice’ once again proves that it’s her time to ascend.
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