REVIEW #1: 83/100

Finally, the follow-up to the week-long Kachingwe era has arrived! Preceded by the lead single which has pretty much dominated the charts since it’s release, “Roll The Dice” as well as promotional single “Speed It Up”... i’m excited! Tinashe has had a really fresh sound and look this era so i’m excited to see what she brings to the table with “Haywire”!

First up we have the promotional single, Speed It Up. I like this one! The car revving sounds at the start are actually quite a nice start to the album, whether intentional or not. It’s certainly a very fiery start but it seems like that’s what Tinashe was going for! The writing is very solid, I especially love the first verse. Did I mention it’s insanely catchy? Like, wow it’s catchy! It might not be a highlight of the overall album but it’s a really solid start for sure! Next we have Crown Me which is… wow! Honestly, I love everything about this track. The instrumental is super interesting & engaging and the writing is really strong. The choir voices in the background are really striking but in the best possible way? It’s something very different but Tinashe pulls it off really well! Easily a highlight. Onto the Mariah Carey collaboration, this is supposedly the only ballad on the album. I have high expectations then! Being the only ballad on the album, it certainly feels a little out of place which I guess is to be expected. The writing is the clear stand out here, especially in the pre-chorus but overall i’m not feeling this one as much. It’s still solid, don’t get me wrong! I just wish the track had a more unique feel like the rest of the tracks so far have had. I get that it’s a ballad but I still feel there’s something more they could’ve done with it to set it apart from other songs like it. But hey, if this is the worst the album gets then Tinashe still has an incredible piece of work on her hands!

Roll The Dice… I don’t think i’ve heard this one before? Alright, of course I have! I think everyone has by now! This song was a hit for a reason. I'll tell you that. Besides from Tinashe’s insane promotional schedule (does she ever take a break??), the track is fresh, catchy, well-written… it’s hard to fault! I absolutely adore the instrumental especially. An instant highlight! Now onto the Ariana Grande collaboration.. Again, wow! I really love arabic influences in this track… it’s something we don’t hear often and the two really pull it off! The writing is really nice as well, the verses especially. I like this! It’s nice seeing Tinashe trying something new to keep the album fresh, it’s very appreciated! Following up from that we have Mind Game. I love the flute in the background, the writing is really strong… this is really good! A little repetitive instrumentally but it’s honestly not a huge issue. A very solid track!

My first thoughts with Felony.. Wow! I’ve said that a lot but I mean it! It’s a big pick up in pace from Mind Game but I really love it? The chorus especially is phenomenal! It’s pretty aggressive but Tinashe pulls it off really well, again, especially in the choruses. I’m sorry, I just can’t get over them! You go girl! But yeah incredibly solid track, I love the verses too… I can’t really fault it! Now to finish it all off, the title track Haywire. I’m really liking the piano at the start and the verse/pre-chorus has a nice kind of slightly electronic feel to it which I love! I’m not as much of a fan of the chorus honestly, but it’s still fine. The writing isn’t as strong as some of the other tracks but it’s still nice and solid! 

And that’s it! Honestly, I really wish this album was a little longer. Still, I think that works in her favour for this project! Although it’s only 8 tracks, Tinashe manages to make each track feel unique by blending different styles and keeps the album interesting. It doesn’t dip in quality at any particular point and doesn’t become stale, which is no easy feat. So props for that Tinashe! Tinashe has a very unique sound on this project which sets it apart from many other releases this year. There are one or two tracks that don’t hold up with the quality of the rest of the album, at least in my opinion, but they’re still incredibly solid! Tinashe is an artist who constantly evolves her sound which is clear in this record and I'm excited to see what she does for the next one!

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REVIEW #2: 78/100

All things considered, it hasn’t been that long since Tinashe’s sophomore album “Kachingwe” was first unleashed on the world, yet he we are taking in her third record. After surprising everyone with the announcement of a new single, followed by the announcement of a new album, it seemed that the R&B songstrss wasted no time in pushing forward with a new era. Known as one of the hardest working artists in the business, it seemed fitting that Tinashe went somewhere new. This record is described as her most upbeat and fearless yet and covers a variety of different subjects, many of which she’s never dove into before. Let’s dive into the record and see how this really stacks up to her previous two projects. 

The album opens with one of it’s weaker tracks. “Speed It Up”, released earlier as a promo single, isn’t a bad song by any means but it certainly feels like an undercooked one. The lyrics are well written, though they lean a little too heavily into the cliches associated with cars in music. The production is what holds the song back the most, however. It’s a very chaotic beat and there’s so much going on that with a barely two minute long runtime, it’s hard to really make sense of some of the elements. It makes sense as an opener, but it does leave you wanting more (and perhaps not in the best way). “Crown Me” is a tremendous leap in quality. Lyrically the song is clever, especially the pre-chorus. Each line builds on the last, establishing a wonderful flow that is timed perfectly to the production. And speaking of production, it’s really fantastic on all levels. The experimentation in the sound, the choral samples, it all combines together to make something incredibly unique and one of the ultimate stand outs of the record. “See Us Together” is the track list’s only ballad and, to keep in line with the vibe of the rest of the project, it boasts some experimentation in the production which is incredibly welcome as it adds depth to what could’ve been a nice but unconvincing ballad. Lyrically the song is strong as well, keeping the clever writing style of the previous track. Mariah’s presence is wonderful, certainly although it doesn’t quite feel like a collaboration with a titan like it maybe should. But despite that and it’s awkward placing on the track list, it manages to still be a strong addition to the track list and stands as one of it’s most affecting and personal moments. The album’s lead single “Roll the Dice” is up next and while it’s Tinashe’s biggest hit (so far), it doesn’t come as one of the better tracks on the album. The lyrics to the song don’t feel as polished or paid attention to as other tracks on the album and the song suffers a bit for it. Production wise, the song is fine but fairly unremarkable when compared to the peaks of the record. It’s short run time keeps it from really weighing the album down and it does make sense as a single choice, but it falls toward the back of the pack on the record as a whole. 

“Lie to Me” comes as a pleasant surprise. Though Ariana doesn’t always lend her best when it comes to her feature roles, but there’s so much to love about this track. The middle eastern vibe is a nice shake up in the style of the album so far and presents perhaps the best soundscape on the whole album. The song oozes sex appeal and combined with more genuinely great songwriting (and once more clever songwriting) it makes this a near perfect standout and the perfect choice for a second single. “Mind Game” is one of the album’s more personal offerings. Touching on the subject of mental health, something that many artists are now feeling far more comfortable with, the song is best summarized in the standout line of “I feel like shit and a million people can’t tell”. That line leads us into the chorus which is the weakest aspect of the song. The verses are all pretty great, but that chorus doesn’t stick the landing in the same way, coming across rushed and under polished. Production wise, the song is solid but it becomes too repetitive as it goes along and you may find yourself wishing for some sort of shake up in the sound. Still, it’s clearly a song that means a lot to Tinashe and her honesty and vulnerability make this a very endearing listen. “Felony” features what is without a doubt the most unexpected sound change the album has to offer, veering into slight rock territory without letting go of those pop sensibilities. It’s an oddity of a track and takes a moment to get acclimated to but once you do, it’s one of the most pulse pounding pieces of production the album offers. Lyrically the song is fun and full of attitude but lacks the consistency and polish of the album’s peaks. She gets the point across and makes some solid metaphors but perhaps one more lap around the track in the lyric checking department could’ve done the song some good. Despite the hiccups in the writing, the song still packs a punch and still lands as an essential component of the album. The closing track and the album title track “Haywire” closes the album on what is perhaps it’s strongest track. The production isn’t complicated, yet it still feels detailed and is perfectly suited to the lyrics. Tinashe’s writing is at it’s absolute strongest on this track. The song is full of bite and fire and it closes the album on an undeniable high. 

“Haywire” just clenches the title as Tinashe’s best over last year’s “Kachingwe”. The album is brisk and goes by you in a flash. At just a little over thirty minutes, it’s the shortest mainstream release we’ve had this year and that does work against the album in some respect. The songs go by so quickly that it can be hard to really grasp onto the songs and savor them. To some extent, it makes the album feel a little rushed. However, the album’s peak are incredibly high. Tinashe showed a considerable bit of growth in her songwriting, leaving behind many memorable lines that would look fantastic printed on a tour t-shirt. She clearly had a goal in mind with the record and she seems to have achieved what she set out to do. It isn’t as polished as it probably could be, and there are inconsistencies in the sound and writing, but it’s hard to not enjoy your time with the album. It is indeed her most upbeat and indeed most easily digestible release so far and it’s likely to please her fanbase as well as the newcomers.