Ctrl | ||||
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Studio album by SZA | ||||
Released | June 9, 2017 | |||
Recorded | 2014–17 | |||
Studio | TDE Red Room, Carson, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 49:01 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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SZA chronology | ||||
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Singles from Ctrl | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 87/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The A.V. Club | A- |
Exclaim! | 9/10 |
NME | |
Paste | 7.8/10 |
Pitchfork | 8.4/10 |
The Guardian | |
The New Zealand Herald |
Ctrl (pronounced "control") is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter SZA. It was released on June 9, 2017, by Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. It is so far supported by three singles, "Drew Barrymore", "Love Galore" featuring Travis Scott, and "Broken Clocks". It also features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, James Fauntleroy, and Isaiah Rashad.
Ctrl is predominantly an R&B album which draws influences from neo soul and indie rock. The album contains a precise sonic methodology, which takes influence from pop, hip-hop and electronic genres. The production was characterised as predominantly hip-hop-influenced with hints of soul and pop. The album has a confessional theme, which touch upon SZA's personal experiences of love. The albums lyrics were noted as being "honest" and "often comically blunt". The album opens with "Supermodel" which is built over an electric guitar riff, and reads as an "exposed diary entry" that lyrically talks about relationship betrayal and fallout. The song talks about SZA's ex partner who left her on Valentine’s Day.
In September 2014, SZA revealed that A would be released as her debut studio album, continuing to say that A would be similar to S and would include trap influences with more aggressive lyrics, she also announced that she has begun working with James Fauntleroy, Hit-Boy, and long time collaborator Felix Snow again.
SZA premiered "Drew Barrymore" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. She also announced the title of her debut studio album, initially titled A, but was later renamed to CTRL. On April 28, 2017, SZA announced she had signed her first major-label recording contract with RCA Records.