Breakup healing 101 and more healing. Lots of healing. A little too much healing.
It's hard to think of a recent album that dives deeper into healing than Chilombo.
A few notable instances like Frank Ocean's "Godspeed" or the last quarter of Tyler the Creator's IGOR touch on the topic of healing, but none go as deep or force the topic as much as Chilombo.
The closest emotional comparison is Mac Miller's Circles, and even it operates on a lighter end of the healing spectrum. Where Miller guides the listener through the emotional journey of Circles, Aiko makes the listener a part of Chilombo's ups and downs then leaves them to sit with it.
And that's where the project becomes a tough listen.
The highlights of the album operate under the therapy cliche of "you get out what you put in". To truly understand Chilombo, you have to insert yourself into the music.
It's hard not to personalize the highlights of Chilombo because, from one perspective or another, most people have experienced the common theme of a failed relationship that Aiko vividly describes throughout.
Excluding the tone-setting intro, the first seven tracks of the album are a speed course on post-breakup emotions.
"Triggered" is the best summary and the root of all other emotions.
Aiko bounces from being attracted to the person, to being lonely at night, to remaining loyal, to being angry, to being spiteful, to accepting, to negotiating, to feeling cocky, and finally, back to being angry. The way she perfectly captures the frantic emotions associated with the end of a connection is just-*chef's kiss*.
From "Triggered", Aiko later expounds on each emotion with a song of its own.
"None of Your Concern" is the end of the needless loyalty she briefly touched on earlier, but it's Big Sean's arrogant reminders that sell the realism of the song. The entire second half of his verse is the lyrical embodiment of "I could get my ex back whenever I want." It's probably not true, slightly corny, and very conceited, but it's the mindset that many people have towards their exes and Big Sean conveys it perfectly.
"B.S." covers the feelings of post-breakup confidence and spite to the tee. Aiko's focus on materialistic items and her body paired with H.E.R.'s shots at the ex's new partner checks all the boxes of post-breakup pick me ups.
"Speak" and "Happiness Over Everything" are the acceptance songs. They fit well with the others and cover an important part of the breakup healing process, but the real standout of the album's early breakup speed course is "PU$$Y Fairy (OTW)".
Side note: Is the relationship really over if you guys don't get one last session in? For some, it's the "can we talk in person?" For others, it's a drunk night that is never spoken of again. You don't have to answer the question, and you don't have to be ashamed with your answer, I know. It's called closure. Back to the review.
According to Aiko, the song was written during her relationship, but the placement of the song alongside the other breakup songs makes sense and unintentionally covers a breakup phenomenon.
Outside of the first seven tracks, "10k Hours" and "Pray For You" are two standouts that feel concentrated like the others, as Aiko puts missing someone into perspective and fully comes to grips with the end of the relationship.
For most of the second half of the album, Aiko strays from concentrated healing to focus on just healing.
The emphasis switches from telling a story to creating an atmosphere, and it leaves Chilombo feeling empty in the second half.
Aiko's voice becomes more feathery, the sound bowls are more present, and doves are even sampled to push the ambiance.
According to Aiko's interview with Beats One, the album was sequenced based on sonic similarities, and while that made for smooth transitions, it also created a content divide on the project.
Aside from "10k Hours" and "Pray for You", "Born Tired" is the only song after track eight that feels like Aiko's lyrics actually matter. Instead, the sonic space takes over the Chilombo and makes it hard for the listener to remember how special the first half of the album is by its conclusion.
Final Score: Mid 7/10
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