Outside the fact that she is a newly signed OVO product, there isn’t much info on Naomi Sharon besides the Dutch artist’s rumored relationship with label head and superstar, Drake. Perhaps that’s the point as Sharon releases her debut album not far removed from the ink drying on her record deal. She just kind of appeared out of thin air. Blending in with the, largely, disguised and underrated R&B soundscape this year, Sharon takes notes from 90’s R&B classics and laminates it with modern influence to create the sleek, glossy Obsidian.
The lead single, and opening track, “Definition of Love,” largely sets the tone for an almost operatic and dramatic recollection of what love is or is supposed to be. The trickle of water running along the edges of the track capture the breathy sensuality that dances along stripped afrobeats and house beats throughout Sharon’s debut. I’ve seemed to gravitate towards this genre this year, best captured by Kelela’s, Raven — so it was only fitting that I respin Obsidian through the latter quarter of the year.
The high-flying “Another Life,” easily the best of the collection, sees Sharon shout out to the echoey abyss over those house beats Noah Shebib has been quite fond of recently. The declaration that, “Love is a wicked game,” is immediately averse to the opening message that a singular person can be the definition of love, at the same time drawing the lineation that said person is wicked in their love for her in the aftermath of “If This Is Love”. If other tracks took the time to revel in that mid-level bpm house influence, the project would only benefit.
Some songs feel rushed and empty, others, voluminous, aching, and chilling under the firm thumb of Sharon’s stunning vocal control in her lower register. Much like her label head, the effort level throughout the album is hit or miss, with her best tracks drastically overpowering the lesser songs such as “If This Is Love” and “Myrrh” are tucked neatly between the stellar “Another Life” and “Celestial”. There aren’t any real throwaways outside of the half-outro which is just a slowed rehashed version of the second track.
However, vocal quality is consistent, persistent even, almost showing off at times by suffocating the air with her voice and her voice only. “Push,” the most successful afrobeat attempt, while lacking any progressive lyrical combinations, is far more catchy than it ought to be with Omah Lay leading the charge in a song that is sure to leave you bouncing in your seat. “Hills,” the most streamed song of the album, leans into a Steve Lacy sort of ba-ba-bop-de-ba we saw in his Gemini Rights, with Sharon’s persistent crooning, the berth of tears welling in the tail end of her lyrics, almost capturing the jazz-forward inflection of someone like Baby Rose.
Naomi Sharon, despite seeming to have appeared out of thin air and benefitting from the resources of the OVO Sound label, is entirely capable of making a name for herself. While reveling in a style that is oddly reminiscent of a mix between Tems and Snoh Aalegra, Sharon finds strength in reveling in the marring of her love. Obsidian is so easy and fun to fall in love with, the best moments fleeting and often and the worst, just a footnote in an overall very solid debut.
Rating: 7.8/10
Favorite Tracks: Another Life, Definition of Love, Hills