RANKING: 7.5/10
Despite this being her 5th album, it's clear to see that Tinashe hasn't run out of new tricks when it comes to the creation of her music on 333. Floating somewhere between R&B, pop, alternative, and electro, the 28-year-old singer-songwriter is finding herself truly in a sound of her own.
The thing that is immediately evident from 333 is that Tinashe is doing her own thing. Ever since leaving RCA, Tinashe has become more experimental and it feels like she's more defined as an artist within herself than she ever was with the big labels. Although she was incredibly successful with her label, releasing hit album after hit album, there's a stark difference between pre and post-label; it's not necessarily better, but certainly feels freer.
As expected, Tinashe's stellar vocals are at the forefront of 333. Her range is impressive, and the way she uses it with the different tempo and feels of each song is something that can only be done by an experienced artist like herself. For example, on 'SHY GUY' which has a quick-paced instrumental, we see the top range of Tinashe's vocals used in a breathy form, matching the pace of the backing track. However, previously released single 'I Can See The Future' we see the sultry and slower lower range of Tinashe's voice to match the teasing sensual lyrics.
We see some impressive features on the album, with 'X' featuring American rapper Jeremih which sees a smooth transition between Tinashe and Jeremih's sections of the song, helped along by a consistent deep bassline. We move from the bass-filled R&B feature to borderline pop-track 'Undo (Back to You) with Wax Motif. It's clear Tinashe has chosen features that are as mixed as the genres that influence this album, and this variation pays off really well, as you really don't know what's coming up next at any given point.
So, basically, Tinashe has done it again. She's released an album that is consistently good and has much more range than some of her previous releases. Although the album is nothing revolutionary, it's a great listen and fits well into Tinashe's impressive discography.