Tinashe has had a super intriguing career. She first became famous as a child actor, known for her roles in the movies The Polar Express and the TV show Two and a Half Men. She then joined a girl group called The Stunners from 2007-2011 debuting as a solo artist with RCA in 2012. In 2014, her single 2 On with Schoolboy Q attained a ton of success, and it seemed like she was poised to potentially become a new mainstream R&B star. Her debut album, Aquarius, was released later that year; it was not super well received commercially, and it seemed like she could potentially be a flash in the pan. Over the next couple of years, Tinashe kind of continued to sputter. She did achieve some success on some features such as the song ‘All My Friends’ with Chance the Rapper and Snakehips as well as the song ‘Slumber Party’ with Britney Spears, but her next two albums, Nightride and Joyride, did not make much of an impact. During this time, Tinashe made a name for herself writing songs for other artists, which she still does to this day. When Tinashe left RCA Records, her mindset on music seemed to change. As an Independent artist, Tinashe has emerged as one of the leading ladies in the new wave of Alternative R&B. Her foray into boundary-pushing music started with her 2019 album Songs for You. This record was extremely well-received critically for its outside-the-box approach to R&B. Tinashe continued to receive a ton of praise for 2021’s .333 and 2023’s BB/ANG3L(which was one of my personal favorite albums from last year). In 2024, after years of grinding and opening doors for her peers, Tinashe has finally seen a ton of success commercially. Her single ‘Nasty’ went viral and has become one of the biggest TikTok songs of the year. This track ended up being her first track the char on the Billboard Hot 100 in a decade, it is helping her rejuvenate her commercial success. Trying to capitalize on that success, Tinashe recently released a new album called Quantum Baby. Here is how I feel about this new album from Tinashe. Please let me know what your favorite songs are from Quantum Baby, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
‘No Simulation,’ has a sound that I did not expect at all to start the record. Based on the singles, I would expect this one to have a quirky energetic sound. Instead, ‘No Simulation’ has a very low-key yet impactful instrumental. The melody for this one, which is melancholy yet balmy, is mainly provided by the layered vocals of Tinashe. There are some synths and a guitar in the background that give it depth, but the basis of the melody comes from those vocals. This melody is put on top of a rumbling beat with a marching band quality to it. Tinashe’s vocals on ‘No Simulation’ are excellent. She shows off her exquisite range and this one and sings with a level of power that commands attention. Even though ‘No Simulation’ is a short track at 1:48, it is a commanding way to start the record. ‘Getting No Sleep’ was the second single released in anticipation of Quantum Baby. Unfortunately, it did not see the same kind of success that ‘Nasty’ did. Honestly, I think it should have, because this is a riveting and fun banger. The melody for ‘Getting No Sleep’ is so bright and ethereal; the synths that drive this melody have a mesmerizing tone that is so cool and intriguing. The beat for this song is super off-center and quirky. It has elements that make me think of Drill music as well as Drum n Bass, but they are morphed into this weird Dancey R&B sound that really stands out. Tinashe does not deliver her strongest vocals on ‘Getting No Sleep,’ but that is okay. Her vocals have a very even-keeled tone that adds to the ethereal feeling of the song. ‘Getting No Sleep’ is a song about Tinashe’s non-stop lifestyle, and the energy of this song’s sound matches that sentiment perfectly. ‘Thirsty’ is yet another song where Tinashe in a way that only she can. This song has a sound that is so familiar yet so individual. The base of this track is Atmospheric Trap music. The melody is very Trippy yet sweet. Like the last track, this melody is very mesmerizing. The song’s Trippy feeling is added to by the beat in a huge way. The 808s on this track absolutely pound, and the rest of the drums are so intricate and weirdly timed. ‘Thirsty’ has a beat that sounds smooth and rough at the same time, and this makes it super cool. Tinashe’s vocals on ‘Thirsty’ take its quality over the top. I love how she fluctuates the emphasis she sings with throughout this one, as this makes her vocals super captivating. ‘Thirsty’ is a massive Trap banger that stands out for its eccentricity. The acute energy we got on the last two tracks comes to a half on ‘Red Flags.’ I do not know if a synth-driven song can be considered acoustic, but if it can, then this one fits that bill. The instrumental for ‘Red Flag’ is very straightforward. It solely consists of a very inquisitive synth-driven melody that is soothing and anxious at the same time. Because this instrumental is so simple, the focus is obviously put on the vocals and lyrics. Tinashe is singing about a failed relationship that she wants to try out again, even if she knows it is a bad idea. The passion in her vocals is palpable. Tinashe sings with an emotional tone on this one which makes it very engaging. ‘Red Flags’ is not a very arduous track, but it hits hard for what it is.
‘Cross That Line’ feels like the most mainstream or non-out-of-the-ordinary song on the record to this point. Because of this, I could see this being one that hits big online. ‘Cross That Line’ has a pretty tame sound that is still pretty engaging. ‘Cross That Line’ has a very triumphant and radiant sound. The synths that drive this one are very atmospheric and luminous; they make me think of a sunny day or a hopeful outro to a Rom-Com movie. The beat for ‘Cross That Line’ is not overly enthralling, but still has quirks. I like the slight change of tempo that comes in on the post-chorus which gives the song a Jersey Club music sound. Tinashe’s vocals are just as joyous as the instrumental. I like the vigor that she sings this track, with as it makes ‘Cross That Line’ feel powerful. ‘Cross That Line’ is not the most riveting song on the record, but it is very solid for what it is. ‘When I Get You Alone’ is a track with a sound that is pretty reminiscent of the music that Tinashe initially got popular for back in the day. It feels like a modern version of the Poppy Trap-infused R&B sound of songs like ‘2 On.’ The melody for this track has such a sheeny, late-night quality to it. When I hear this piano riff and the synths that complement it, I think of bright lights while being out in the city partying. Near the end of the track, there is a funky breakdown that gives the track texture and injects a different even more life into the track. ‘When I Get You Alone’ may have the best vocal performance of the project yet, which really is saying a lot. I love the high, delicate tone that Tinashe sings with on this one, as it makes the track so pleasant and glamorous sounding. Like Cross That Line,’ ‘When I Get You Alone’ is not the most eccentric song on the record, but it excels in its simplicity. After going a bit more of a tamer route on the last two tracks, Tinashe turns up the unconventionalism once again on ‘No Broke Boys.’ This is the kind of zany Dancey R&B track that it seems like only Tinashe can excel in in 2024. This one has a super infectious melody and beat that stand out and pops so hard. The synths that drive this melody have a sparkling and energetic sound to them that just makes me want to cut up the club when this one comes on. The beat on ‘No Broke Boys’ is unique, fun, and hard to pinpoint. It sounds like there are elements of House music, Trap, and Boom Bap in the pacing of the track. This makes it sound so familiar yet so foreign and futuristic at the same time. The vocals on ‘No Broke Boys’ are great. Tinashe’s tone on this song and her delivery is so catchy; ‘No Broke Boys’ is the kind of song that will get stuck in your head and make you want to party, both of which are qualities that set it apart and make it so appealing. Tinashe closes out Quantum Baby with the aforementioned lead single ‘Nasty.’ Now if you are reading this, I would assume you have heard ‘Nasty,’ so I do not think I need to get into why this one is so great very much. Similar to ‘No Broke Boys,’ this song’s zany nature and extremely catchy qualities make it so captivating. Everything about ‘Nasty’ rules; the melody is so fun, the beat is infectious, and Tinashe’s vocal performance is dynamic. ‘Nasty’ is an earworm, and is definitely one of the top tracks of 2024 so far. Tinashe knew she had to save the best for last on this record, and she did so with ‘Nasty.’
I am not going to lie, Tinashe’s Quantum Baby is an album I have really been looking forward to. For one, I have been a very big fan of her last few records as an independent Alternative R&B music, and I especially loved her 2023 album BB/ANG3l. Also, as I am sure you can tell from above, I was a big fan of both of the singles from this project; ‘Nasty’ is easily one of my top singles of the year, and I thought that ‘Getting No Sleep’ is high-quality and deserves more love as well. Overall, I think that Quantum Baby lives up to the quality of those singles for sure. Like she has been doing for years, Tinashe takes elements from multiple types of Hip Hop, Pop, R&B, and Dance music and combines them in a way that really stands out. Tinashe continues to shine as a lyricist and vocalist on Quantum Baby as well. I think the only thing holding this album back for me is that it is not longer. Frankly, I think every song is good to great, and I want more. I do think that its lack of length does pull it down a bit because it makes Quantum Baby feel like a bit of a flash in the pan. Overall, though, Quantum Baby is another great release from Tinashe, and it shows that she continues to be at the forefront of R&B music right now.
EAST SIDE VIBES 