Naeem Juwan kept the party going for years with
Spank Rock. The hyped-up rap project came into view in the mid-aughts and
Juwan stayed in more or less the same gear for years, releasing high-energy shouts until retiring the project to focus on material that explored new approaches of both style and substance. Going now under only his first name,
Naeem's debut album,
Startisha, is beautiful and reaching. Over the course of its nine songs,
Juwan explores moody, textural R&B singing, subtle electronic-tinged songwriting, and even occasionally circles back to the mile-a-minute rap styles that defined
Spank Rock, but with far more introspective and political lyrical content. In an unexpected tone-setting move,
Startisha begins with a beautifully dark cover of the
Silver Apples' "You and I."
Naeem's staked harmonies and distant delivery transform the song's original queasy paranoia into something tender and tragic. This segues directly into the mellow R&B/rap hybrid "Simulation," a collaboration with
Bon Iver's
Justin Vernon and
Swamp Dogg with an atmospheric beat placed firmly in the era post-
Frank Ocean's
Blonde. The swing in styles between songs speaks to
Naeem's versatility. As the record goes on, he gets into
Prince-esque R&B pop on songs like "Us" and the gracefully constructed title track. "Stone Harbor" is an album highlight, with a house-informed beat and unexpected stabs of horn culminating in a catchy slice of experimental R&B.
Startisha is marked by
Naeem's adventurous exploration, as he moves from bounding pop to gentle balladry to abrasive rap without worrying about creating a through-line between his sometimes clashing creative directions.
Startisha is stunning in its dexterity and range.
Naeem always sounds comfortable, confident, and in complete control, even when presenting vulnerable emotions or taking his music places
Spank Rock would have never dreamed of.