Album Review: Juniper by Joy Crookes

The South-London artist's debut record, Skin, led to numerous award nominations and spearheaded the modern revival of neo-soul. Exploring her upbringing, heritage ("19th Floor"), self-worth ("Skin"), and socio-political issues such as white privilege ("Feet Don't Fail Me Now") - Skin allowed us to dive into Crooke's world, to see the experiences that shaped her artistry. With her sophomore offering, Juniper, Crookes is revisiting her humble roots: "I wanted to return to the 12, 14 year-old me who wrote everything on an Argos nylon string guitar.

Full Review >>

Joy Crookes unveils highly-anticipated new record, ‘Juniper’, after fans' four-year wait. ‘Juniper’ is a playful, exploratory and incredibly clever record – dealing with themes ranging from falling in love, mental health, music industry critique, politics, and self-love. The record traces this expanse seamlessly, wrapped with a neat little bow, on the dynamic world that is ‘Juniper’.

Full Review >>

Four years on from her Mercury-shortlisted debut 'Skin', Joy Crookes' second takes its name from a plant that thrives in harsh conditions. The juniper's resilience is a mirror to her own experiences during its creation, as across twelve tracks she tells tales of the happiness and fear that comes with falling in love, mental health struggles, queer love and anxiety against a backdrop that blends R&B, soul and jazz seamlessly in the style she's made her name on. It's a record rich in collaborations - witty lead single 'Pass the Salt' features Vince Staples, and sees Joy clap back at a jealous acquaintance who crossed her: "When a bitch don't rise to rumour / Get the words stuck in your throat".

Full Review >>