The Pop Corporation

One thing that you can always say about Noname is that she’s not a complacent soul. Self-analytical always, but at the same time, tired of bullshit whichever way it comes. A lot weighs on those shoulders of hers, but her personality is just as playful. There’s a lot of heaviness in the world, and Noname doesn’t shy away from much of it, but similarly, can everyone shut up for just a minute when we’re trying to have some downtime?

So, to new LP, ‘Sundial’. There’s been aborted projects and spats online since the last (brilliant) outing, so what to expect here? Well, for fans of previous work, the breezy, soulful backdrop remains strong while Noname cuts a singular figure on the mic, with a super easy flow that straddles rap and spoken word. She’s the best at it, for the record and here, dynamic as ever.

While many artists are playing up to an air of invincibility, or being teflon, not Noname – here, she’s again leaving room for her doubts and contradictions, which makes her such an engrossing listening experience. She’s funny too – she always has been. It seems a lot of people miss that, but she’s good natured and witty in amongst some hard-hitting lines and thought patterns.

It’s melodic as hell too, with ‘boomboom’ being a jazzy rhythm and a soaring hook from Ayoni that’ll have you hitting the repeat button. This is all before Noname details exactly what she likes: “Ticky-ticky-boom-boom in a lagoon-goon, kissin’ a poom-poom.” See? Noname is out here having fun, while internet no-marks are complaining about some imagined version of her.

Of course, she’s going after some big targets too, seemingly going after other rappers too: “Coz if you want some money you can say that, you deserve the payback, these ****** took everything,” adding: “let’s go get that and take it to the hood though – share it with community – we soldiers in plain clothes. Everybody got their role.” She’s not sparing herself either.

Go, Rihanna, go
Watch the fighter jet fly high
War machine gets glamorised
We play the game to pass the time
Go, Beyoncé, go
Watch the fighter jet fly high
War machine gets glamorised
We play the game to pass the time
Go, Kendrick, go
Watch the fighter jet fly high
War machine gets glamorised
We play the game to pass the time
Go, Noname, go
Coachella stage got sanitised
I said I wouldn’t perform for them
And somehow I still fell in line

Sidling up to big corporations and including yourself may feel like a bit of a convenient swerve to some, but she’s not necessarily full bloodiedly tackling anyone else – it’s an admission that it’s complicated and confusing. You’re allowed to criticise things while being less than perfect yourself. And that’s because in some circles, Noname has been put on a pedestal, and she’s not easy with that. No-one should be. From this vantage point, it seems like, despite the confusing mess of society, Noname is just trying to help in the best way she can. Anyone who think she’s portraying herself as a saint is missing the point, and often missing the point wilfully.

Thing is, as this LP proves, is that we do actually need her voice. There’s a straightforwardness and honesty to the way she does things that makes her so vital. And there’s some KILLER breakbeats scattered through the album too.

The fact is, there’s nothing we can tell Noname about herself that she’s not already thought about and it’s ridiculous to think anything else would ever be the case. The album basically starts with “she’s a shadow walker, moon stalker, Black author, librarian, contrarian”, latterly adding: “fascinated with mourning, they hope the trauma destroy her”, which feels like someone wrestling with the reality that rap shows can be a sea of white faces looking at an artist from a community alien to them. Grief tourism. The White Saviour Complex. She knows all this. What’s the use in us pointing out, given that Noname is better at talking about it than us, slack-jawing.

What’s great to hear though, are the flashes of fun. She can look at uncomfortable truths, but she can take the brakes off and get high and fuck around. Noname doesn’t come off as too worthy, and anyone thinking that might be missing the point. She can look at the beauty industry in ‘Beauty Supply’ and lament “I just wanna be the love of my life – set aside my own standard and really demand hers”, but then toss out the hilarious “you sound like cat piss on popcorn!”

Fact is, in a world of immediacy where we collective demand to know exactly what everything means all the time, where people have to spell things out and decipher every cocked smile, Noname isn’t having it. She’s giving multiple meanings and metaphors, she’s willing to let a thing hang, she may be laser focused, she might be high as shit – there’s complexity and nuance – it’s smart music and you can take it on whatever level you like. It’s in turn serious and breezy and that’s what makes this such a fine album – her best since ‘Telefone’.

What’s even better about ‘Sundial’ is that there’s nothing quite like it on the market. Music is trend-heavy, and Noname’s out here, in her own lane and speaking about the things that matter to her, and maybe they should matter to you? It’s indebted to jazz, soul, politics, literature and playfulness, and if there were more albums like this, maybe we’d have a movement on our hands.

Not that you get the impression that Noname is down to join any clubs right now. She’s a one-off. This is another great piece of work she’s made. Goddammit, we needed it too.