ALBUM REVIEW: HEAVN
Whenever I listen to Jamila Woods’ HEAVN, I am transported to a different mood and spatial dimension. Whether the album is reminiscent of summers in Chicago or of self-love, HEAVN has a shimmering quality with every listen that never fails to get old. Jamila Woods’ debut album, released on SoundCloud in 2016, is a staple Chicago R&B album, as it is sprinkled not only with references to the city, but also with iconic Chicago artists such as Noname, Saba, Kweku Collins, and Chance the Rapper, to name a few.
Beyond the seemingly innocent melodies that play with swelling textures and sweet vocals, HEAVN tells a story of both resistance and love. Throughout the album, Woods discusses themes ranging from police brutality and Black resistance, to finding peace within herself and celebrating the city she grew up in. Woods’ smooth vocal ranges are equally as mesmerizing as her constantly moving musical arrangements which eb and flow with every jittery rhythm.
As a Chicago native, Woods “LSD” is a song I find myself always going back to, as “LSD” is a tribute to Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, a freeway that runs parallel to Lake Michigan. To me and other Chicagoans, Woods’ lyrics, “You gotta love me like I love the lake” will resonate. Swimming in Lake Michigan, a staple of every Chicago summer, is a freeing experience like no other, as the great body of water never fails to make you feel like a small spec in the city and on earth. Woods suggests, “Get on the highway, highway, baby...See, we can fly away, fly away, baby.” Even without the chorus-driven melodies that point upwards, Woods’ lyrics curate a safe feeling of freedom and mysticism, all of which revolve around the vast Lake Michigan and its freeway.
Similarly, “VRY BLK” touches on Woods’ Chicago roots, as Woods collaborates with Chicago producer oddCouple (Zach Henderson) and Kweku Collins, who handled the song’s production, and equally powerful Chicago female artist Noname. In“VRY BLK,” Woods and Noname celebrate their blackness and resistance, as well as speak about the pain of Black death at the hands of the police. Woods sings, “You take my brother, brother, brother / I fight back, back, back, back.” Referencing the death of Eric Garner, Woods questions, “If I say that I can’t breath, will I become a chalk line.”
Of course, HEAVN would not be complete without the interludes throughout. In “Eve,” writer Eve Ewing tells us the story of how her mother decided to name her Eve, which begins with her walking down Belmont Avenue. Suddenly, she hears a voice in her head of Eve, in the womb, telling her what her name should be! As I close my eyes, I can clearly see this precious picture that Eve paints.
Meanwhile, the interlude “Still” is a voice memo spoken by Moriah Dowd, who speaks of Chicago’s resilience, of a city that must move forward in the midst of its injustice and pain. The interludes in HEAVN ground us back to earth, as we hear an array of intimate tidbits and stories, like a friend has just phoned us to tell us a humorous anecdote.
Woods’ culminates HEAVN with “Holy,” which is arguably the most heavenly song on the album. Woods’ voice simply floats throughout the song, transporting us higher and higher up, while maintaining strength in her tonality. On “Holy,” it sounds like Woods has an army of angels behind her. “Holy” is a tribute to Woods herself, as she reminds herself, “With my mind set on loving me / I’m not lonely, I’m alone.” The song is characterized by powerful dedications to love, for oneself and for inner peace. Woods’ promises to herself are ones that we all need to remind ourselves of. Despite the people in her life that may leave or the hardships she might endure, Woods finds peace in knowing that she’s all that she has.
Woods’ HEAVN will forever radiate as an album filled with promise and grounded by home. Even the album’s cover reflects these themes, as it centers a dazzling Woods’ between the clouds and the water. HEAVN will always remind me of Chicago and serve as an expression of universal love: for myself and for others.