Lizzo is uber talented, but I can’t say I completely get behind all of the results. She can undeniably dance, rap, sing, command-a-stage, but I promise you, you don’t actually want a flute solo on Ellen and “Juice” plainly has Bruno Mars syndrome, sounding like a Target-curated version of the 80’s. “Tempo,” on the other hand, clicks perfectly. If you asked me yesterday how a song with the two of them should go I’d probably basically describe what happens. They both rap with utmost emboldened energy over stripped-back but electric production. They don’t try to out-rap each other but they sound utterly perfect alongside one another, meeting each other halfway on the quest to sexual empowerment. There’s no over-stated hook, no overwrought break-down, it’s perfect. I prematurely find the album to be too much, but certain things can’t make anybody mad–this track should be one of them.
-Donovan Burtan
positivelyunderground 