Goddess [LP]

On her debut album, Goddess, Banks sounds like the logical conclusion of several 2010s musical trends: her moody, confessional lyrics echo Lorde, Lykke Li, and Lana Del Rey, while the downtempo sonics recall cutting-edge R&B talents like Tinashe, FKA Twigs, and former tourmate the Weeknd. Goddess covers a formidable amount of musical ground as it ranges from piano ballads (such as the Justin Parker-produced, Adele-esque "You Should Know Where I'm Coming From") to starkly electronic tracks (the tense, finger-snapping "Stick"), but the album's best moments focus on Banks' personality. On songs like the title track, she crafts a persona that's sexy, brooding, and more than a little dismissive; on "Brain"'s chorus ("I can see you struggling/Boy, don't hurt your brain/Thinking what you're gonna say"), she's a lot dismissive. Goddess also includes several songs that already appeared on the London EP, such as "Change" and "Waiting Game," along with newer highlights like the brashly romantic "Fuck Em Only We Know," the high-drama "Beggin for Thread," and the intimate "Warm Water." ~ Heather Phares