Intrusions (2008) [re Up]

There are two videos of Niecy Blues performing in Charleston, South Carolina, way back in March 2018: one is a luxuriantly soulful song called “Christine”, and the other is a guitar-forward R&B track called “Ways”. In the first shot of the latter video, the entire setlist has been written on a whiteboard: the best part of an album that the artist, at some point, outgrew with not one of those titles appearing anywhere in her – until now – sparse discography. It’s been a long road traveled to Exit Simulation, her debut LP, and a breathtaking and immaculate creative statement. In a just world, this record will lay down fire and love in innumerable hearts and minds.