After wowing us with her fabulous 2016 debut, For All We Know, NAO (pronounced “Nay-o”) returns with her sophomore effort, Saturn.
With just two features from SiR and Kwabs, the British R&B breakout commands your undivided attention with her smooth voice and technicolor production. Whether the album’s title is supposed to reference a distant planet or the Roman god of renewal and liberation, it’s a fitting one for NAO’s refreshing and spaced-out neo-soul, which is at once deeply nostalgic and wildly futuristic.
Rather than mess with the recipe, Saturn doubles down on what made her first record unique, and so damn good.
Score: 👽👽👽👽/5
Ryan is a writer, editor and vinyl collector currently based in Los Angeles. He started Mini Music Critic in 2017.