After a four-year hiatus, South London singer-songwriter Joy Crookes is making her return to the music scene with the release of her second studio album, Juniper. Due to a “mental health crisis between albums”, the Mercury Prize-nominated British musician stepped away from the limelight, but there is no doubt that Joy Crookes is here to stay, coming back with a bang with her much-anticipated sophomore release.
Juniper is certainly a more introspective project, packing a lyrical punch at times that allows the audience into the artist’s mind. Returning to collaborate with producers such as Blue May (Kano, Shygirl), Tev’n (Rina Sawayama, Stormzy), and Harvey Grant (Loyle Carner, Wesley Joseph), listeners are treated to a brilliantly developed iteration of Joy Crookes’ iconic soulful style, as well as tracks taking a new, experimental direction that ensure Juniper is even more impressive than its predecessor, Skin.
Opening with ‘Brave’, Crookes channels her signature Cleo Sol-esque sound, and is accompanied by a shining string arrangement. It feels like the perfect introduction to her new project, leading with lyrics such as “I know and you know that it’s been hard” and “I wanna be brave… time to stop running away” that highlight her message for Juniper: the last few years have been tough, but she’s ready to share her vulnerability. ‘Brave’ sets the precedent for the album as a deep and provocative lyrical work that is interwoven with a mixture of experimental and classic sounds.
In stark contrast to the opening track, ‘Pass the Salt’ featuring Vince Staples follows – perhaps a surprising choice for Crookes’ first single release following her hiatus. With an explosive drum beat and heavy bassline that is more akin to the work of Little Simz, the lyrics are bold and unforgiving, it feels like a big move away from Crookes’ softer R&B style, painting a visceral picture of the artist who is coming “live and direct from the trenches”. If Joy Crookes is looking to share a new side of herself through Juniper, ‘Pass the Salt’ certainly helps to achieve that.
Unlike this bolder choice, ‘Carmen’ is undeniably a signature Joy Crookes track. The song perfectly exemplifies how Crookes ties together deeper lyricism with playful musicianship: the artist tackles her own battle with internalised misogyny through the title character, whilst the joyful percussion and piano is reminiscent of Elton John‘s ‘Bennie and the Jets’.
‘Carmen’ is followed by two more singles, ‘Perfect Crime’ and ‘Mathematics’, which develop on Crookes’ classic R&B sound. ‘Perfect Crime’, accompanied by an equally cinematic video filmed in Dhaka, sees the artist play the lead in a metaphorical Western film — a representation of her growing power. This is coupled with a similarly creative track, ‘Mathematics’, which, whilst unmistakably a break-up song, provides new and original ideas (both lyrically and musically) that make it far more interesting than your classic heartbreak ballad. Kano‘s masterful verse is beautifully interwoven by Crookes’ vocal showcase — the chorus is extremely catchy and there’s no doubt this will be fantastic when performed live at Manchester Academy later this autumn.
Taking listeners in a new musical direction, ‘House With A Pool’ is clearly inspired by British musical icon Amy Winehouse. Crookes puts her own spin on the singer-songwriter style guitar, with soft Corinne Bailey Rae-esque vocals and beautiful suspended chord progressions that disguise a heavy subject matter. This is certainly a standout track on the album, and the musical simplicity only helps to make the lyrics more pertinent.
‘I Know You’d Kill’ is a punchy follow-up, sonically heavier but with a sneaky and playful feel in the sharp-witted lyrics that discuss a “fucking weirdo” on the peripheries of her team who she discovered had “extremely weird intentions with me”, and her manager’s “quick reflexes”.
It seems a shame, then, that this shining star of a track is trailed by ‘First Last Dance’, perhaps the weakest song on the album. Its Euro-pop, almost ABBA-esque musical feel is cleverly paired with some heavier lyrics that talk about anxiety. However, the boring musicality makes the track feel disappointing, especially when it is sandwiched between some incredibly original pieces, such as ‘Mother’, which discusses generational trauma and feels far more interesting, both musically and lyrically.
It is of course true that Joy Crookes has entered into this project hoping to refine her craft by pairing the playful and the intellectual, with the contrast helping each element of the song to shine. However, ‘First Last Dance’ feels like the least exciting example of this, when ‘House With A Pool’ achieves this so well.
Although ‘Somebody To You’ is perhaps a more forgettable track, it is followed by two heart-wrenchingly beautiful songs that certainly close Juniper on a high. With a Celeste feel, ‘Forever’ is a stripped-back, gentle song that discusses the idea of loving someone forever, even if you aren’t together. The chorus of “so, whether you’re with me or not, remember that we traded love, and that’s forever and ever, and ever, ever, and ever” easily brings a tear to the eye, and the simplicity of the arrangement only makes the lyrics more powerful.
Juniper finishes with ‘Paris’, a six-minute soul-bearing song exploring a previous queer relationship that, whilst ultimately didn’t work out, helped the artist to find pride and security in her identity. The lyrics are vulnerable but still showcase Joy Crookes’ classically clever lyricism that makes her such a standout artist: “kind of wanted you to be my girlfriend, didn’t wanna fuck with no more Catholic guilt when it comes to pride”. It feels like the perfect way to close the album, with the listener being led back to reality through twinkling piano riffs.
Even though there are certainly tracks that shine brighter than others on Juniper, there’s no doubt that every song has been worth the four-year wait. Joy Crookes’ ability to balance playfulness and profundity is something that must be commended, and there is no doubt that this project will solidify her as a ground-breaking artist both in the R&B scene and beyond.
