As J. Cole's Dreamville Records continued its legacy-defining year, the group's sole R&B act, Ari Lennox, was tasked with closing out the once rag-tag group of "featuring J. Cole" artists' best run to date. The most exciting face of a newly established generational hip-hop powerhouse, Lennox was positioned as the next one up at Dreamville. Standing out on the now renowned Revenge of The Dreamer Mixtape series on songs like "Backseat" on Revenge of the Dreamer II and "Got Me" on Revenge of the Dreamer III, Lennox has been a reliable vocal hook machine for the group, showing loads of potential throughout her short career. With her excellent debut project Shea Butter Baby acting as a teaser, her sophomore album age/sex/location is a coming-out party, firmly establishing her as not only Dreamville's first lady but a creative R&B artist following in the footsteps of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.
Targeted at aging millennials, age/sex/location is more ambitious, more vibrant, and a step above Shea Butter Baby in all the right ways. Weaving in a narrative throughout the album, the most charming parts of the project are the relatable stories Lennox chooses to tell. Punched up by a nostalgic '90s and early '00s neo-soul sound, Lennox tells the story of a young woman in her late 20s looking for love while learning to love herself.
Regardless of sex, who can't relate to aging and wanting partnership while simultaneously rejecting all potential partners? On the album's opening tracks, "POF" (Plenty of Fish) and "Hoodie," Lennox captures the duality and internal struggle of knowing your worth and not settling for a "lame fish" while feeling cripplingly lonely and yearning for connection. On "POF," Lennox sings, "Young Black woman approachin' 30 with no lover in my bed / Cannot settle, I got standards," but changes tune immediately on "Hoodie," a song about lusting over someone so bad you settle for a stolen piece of their clothing. "You know how these things go / Ready if you say so / Spread it like some queso / Tangled up on your waist / Dreamin' of how you taste / Underneath your North Face," Lennox sings.
As the album continues narratively, Lennox eventually begins an intense sexual relationship with a lover, capturing all the blinding and emotional highs of a new fling on "Waste My Time," and the ensuing dramatic fallout on "Blocking You." Everything in between plays out, like hearing your best friend recount their whirlwind "relationship" with a fiery ex-lover a few weeks after they have had closure; the joy of a blossoming new love on "Pressure," a classic upbeat R&B-soul song that never quite hits its climax (on purpose); the walls that go up as they have second thoughts on "Mean Mug" and "Boy Bye," both thoughtful slow jams filled with yearning and doubt. There's also the actual bliss of being infatuated with someone on "Stop By" and "Outside," two funk bops that are both fun, up-tempo, and sexy. And finally, "Leaking it," a slow-building sensual neo-soul track that is so good at capturing the emotions of the most intimate and private parts of a relationship it should only be played in a bedroom at night with someone you have deep feelings for.
As hooking as the narrative throughout the album is, the whole project is tied together through Lennox's strong vocal performance. Lennox's range is impressive, dramatic when needed, subdued and soft when vulnerable, and fierce when upset. It's why such a narratively ambitious project is both possible and believable.
Finally, the album closes on "Queen Space," a roll credits moment for the project and its standout track. It's a new school R&B record featuring Summer Walker, a mantra and reminder to know your worth and only accept love from someone deserving of you, even when you're frustrated and wanting — the perfect bow to a gripping journey of love and self-reflection.
Overall, hardcore R&B fans will appreciate age/sex/location most, but this is an album made for cuffing season and should probably be listened to by lovesick single people still figuring it out. Both a cautionary tale and a love story, Lennox will have a hard time topping this project, making her eventual next album one to watch.
(Dreamville Records/Interscope)Targeted at aging millennials, age/sex/location is more ambitious, more vibrant, and a step above Shea Butter Baby in all the right ways. Weaving in a narrative throughout the album, the most charming parts of the project are the relatable stories Lennox chooses to tell. Punched up by a nostalgic '90s and early '00s neo-soul sound, Lennox tells the story of a young woman in her late 20s looking for love while learning to love herself.
Regardless of sex, who can't relate to aging and wanting partnership while simultaneously rejecting all potential partners? On the album's opening tracks, "POF" (Plenty of Fish) and "Hoodie," Lennox captures the duality and internal struggle of knowing your worth and not settling for a "lame fish" while feeling cripplingly lonely and yearning for connection. On "POF," Lennox sings, "Young Black woman approachin' 30 with no lover in my bed / Cannot settle, I got standards," but changes tune immediately on "Hoodie," a song about lusting over someone so bad you settle for a stolen piece of their clothing. "You know how these things go / Ready if you say so / Spread it like some queso / Tangled up on your waist / Dreamin' of how you taste / Underneath your North Face," Lennox sings.
As the album continues narratively, Lennox eventually begins an intense sexual relationship with a lover, capturing all the blinding and emotional highs of a new fling on "Waste My Time," and the ensuing dramatic fallout on "Blocking You." Everything in between plays out, like hearing your best friend recount their whirlwind "relationship" with a fiery ex-lover a few weeks after they have had closure; the joy of a blossoming new love on "Pressure," a classic upbeat R&B-soul song that never quite hits its climax (on purpose); the walls that go up as they have second thoughts on "Mean Mug" and "Boy Bye," both thoughtful slow jams filled with yearning and doubt. There's also the actual bliss of being infatuated with someone on "Stop By" and "Outside," two funk bops that are both fun, up-tempo, and sexy. And finally, "Leaking it," a slow-building sensual neo-soul track that is so good at capturing the emotions of the most intimate and private parts of a relationship it should only be played in a bedroom at night with someone you have deep feelings for.
As hooking as the narrative throughout the album is, the whole project is tied together through Lennox's strong vocal performance. Lennox's range is impressive, dramatic when needed, subdued and soft when vulnerable, and fierce when upset. It's why such a narratively ambitious project is both possible and believable.
Finally, the album closes on "Queen Space," a roll credits moment for the project and its standout track. It's a new school R&B record featuring Summer Walker, a mantra and reminder to know your worth and only accept love from someone deserving of you, even when you're frustrated and wanting — the perfect bow to a gripping journey of love and self-reflection.
Overall, hardcore R&B fans will appreciate age/sex/location most, but this is an album made for cuffing season and should probably be listened to by lovesick single people still figuring it out. Both a cautionary tale and a love story, Lennox will have a hard time topping this project, making her eventual next album one to watch.
