Willow - ARDIPITHECUS

Willow
ARDIPITHECUS
2015
Willow - ARDIPITHECUS

Seeing this record in the indie section was a bit of a shocker. Who is Willow? When did they start making music? I was shocked after listening to the first few tracks that this was Willow Smith, daughter of Jada and Will Smith, "Whip Your Hair" songstress. This album is not a pop record at all, nothing that someone who is only 15 years old should be putting out. This record is filled with philosophical imagery, talks of aliens and ancient beings as well as a heavy does of crystals. It is you hippie philosophy teacher's absolute wet dream. Whether channeling Bjork or some other ethereal being Willow has abandoned the trappings of pop stardom and settled into a sound that is much more connected with the earth, those tones that bring thoughts of trees and nature rather than partying and hanging with friends. Even the title Ardipithecus is taken for the term for the first hominids discovered on the planet. The album itself becomes a transition for Willow as she becomes less Katy Perry and more Erykah Badu. It is difficult to not get sucked into her world where fractals and natives rule the album is so alluring in it's complexity.

There will be some who will scoff at a 15 year old telling them something so high minded, and even though some of her themes might be a bit unrefined no one else out there has the balls to say them. Ardipithecus however really does not have the energy to sustain 15 tracks. At times with no choruses or any discernible song structure the listener is left to fend for themselves. One of the other issues with the record is you do have to keep reminding yourself that this is just a kid making this record, and a kid that has never done the same thing twice in He 5 year career. She is putting herself out there whether it fail or succeed. There are a few cringe moments, like when she switches into a British accent, or goes way to far with how powerful art is and those are hard to apologize for because they snap you right back into reality and take a away from the universe she is transporting you to. What is really clear here is this is not something contrived or forced, this is an artist really putting themselves out there with something different. If Willow is going to be this brave the rest of Her career I can't wait to see what's next.

6.4 out of 10