Friday Fuck Jams: Smino ft. Ravyn Lenae — “Glass Flows”

“Lately I been thinking ‘bout your glow again/Lately I been, lately I been thinking ‘bout a go again”

St. Louis based R&B artist Smino, released his latest project and first debut album, “blkswn,” on March 14th. Featuring an abundance of upcoming female vocalists, swelling synths, and head-bopping beats, “blkswn” is a wholly seductive and engrossing project. With features like Noname, THEMind, Drea Smith, and more, “blkswn” has a degree of depth and cohesion previously unheard of from Smino.

Each track weaves a captivating musical narrative, comprised of Smino’s trademark annunciated sung-rap vocals, stripped down beats, with synth ornamentation on top. Each track seamlessly bleeds from one to the next, effortlessly drawing the listener in. “Glass Flows,” a track featuring Chicago’s Ravyn Lenae, stands out in particular, weaving a narrative of love and struggle.

Opening with humming and peaceful vocables, “Glass Flows” is a perfect song to get down and dirty to, on this truly nasty Friday. Sit back and let your partner(s) do all the work today, because you deserve it. Have sleepy, lazy, but wonderful sex, to the sound of blaring fire engines, falling rain, and Smino. Let his beautifully eccentric vocals caress your inner ear, and feel the soft thump of the bass in your chest. Ravyn Lenae’s gentle soprano complements Smino’s annunciated sung-rap perfectly, resulting in a vibe-y but groovy R&B track. Lenae’s range and crisp vocal timbre bring life and energy to “Glass Flows”, in contrast to its sluggish bass and slow-tempo lyricism. Smino and Ravyn Lenae’s track is artful but simple, a perfect way to start the weekend.

“I think I made you too special/You took me, you shook me, you shh me/When I tried to think about you, babe”