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After being spotted by Sony on YouTube playing a cover of Hit The Road Jack, Joy Crookes raised the bar with several acclaimed EPs and a run of over 10 million views for COLORS. Quickly compared to the great voices of Shirley Bassey, Amy Winehouse, Adele or rising stars Cléo Sol, Jorja Smith and Arlo Parks, the Briton demonstrates on her first album that she is charting her own course. “Biologically and scientifically your skin is one of the strongest organs in your body. But socially and externally, your identity is something that can be used against you. I like that juxtaposition between strong and weak, and it’s something that I grapple with a lot on the album.” The 23-year-old singer, born to a Bengali mother and Irish father and raised at Elephant & Castle, makes her first album a self-portrait. Her intimate and political lyrics might be taken from the pages of a private diary: her musical contours reflect the typical South London mix. The proof is in Trouble, with its reggae tuba and female backing vocals, or the excellent Wild Jasmine, which has some good old R'n'B and effective hooks. In the nebulous landscape of English soul music, Crookes opts for classy orchestrations, which offer her voice a choice setting, a sound with a sense of history that is never merely retro. The songs can be reserved, (I Don't Mind), dramatic (19th Floor) or jazzy like When You're Mine with the revelation that is Chelsea Carmichael on saxophone. But also able to reduce themselves to the piano for the ballads Theek Ache and To Lose Someone. Airy, never dull, Skin assembles a feel-good soul-pop with steely words and a velvet voice. A tour de force. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz
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Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - Blue May, Mixing Engineer, AdditionalStudioProducer - Harvey Grant, Composer, Lyricist, Engineer, Saxophone - Tobie Tripp, Strings - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Lewis Jones, Engineer - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Marianne Haynes, Violin - Paloma Deike, Violin - Emma Owens, Viola - Amy Langley, Performance Arranger - Tom Skinner, Drums - Kotono Sato, Violin - Llinos Richards, Cello - Jonny Lattimer, Composer, Lyricist - Ellie Stanford, Violin - Gita Langley, Violin - Jessie Murphy, Violin - Sarah Sexton, Violin - Kate Robinson, Violin - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, Synthesizer - Ajay Bhattacharyya, Composer, Lyricist - Leon Vynehall, Programmer, Synthesizer, AdditionalStudioProducer - George Chung, Engineer - Ciara Ismail, Violin - Clifton Harrison, Viola - Glesni Roberts, Violin - Jess Cox, Cello - Ben Rogerson, Cello - Tev'n, Piano, Programmer, AdditionalStudioProducer - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Vocal - Klara Schumann, Cello - Jordan Bergmans, Viola - Jong on Okki Lau, Viola
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Rob Mullarkey, Bass - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - Tom Skinner, Drums - LaDonna Harley-Peters, Choir - Vula Malinga, Choir - Sherelle McKenzie, Choir - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Programmer, Mixing Engineer, Clapping - George Chung, Engineer - Sam Beste, Producer, Piano, Synthesizer - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Rob Mullarkey, Bass - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Tom Skinner, Drums - Jonny Lattimer, Composer, Lyricist, Electric Guitar - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, Clapping - George Chung, Engineer - Tev'n, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, AdditionalStudioProducer - Theon Cross, Tuba - Barney Lister, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Programmer, Synthesizer - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Rob Mullarkey, Bass - Eg White, Producer, Engineer, Glockenspiel, Organ, Piano, Clapping, Background Vocal - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Amy Langley, Cello, Performance Arranger - Tom Skinner, Drums - Kotono Sato, Violin - Francis White, Composer, Lyricist - Amy Stanford, Viola - Jonny Lattimer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Clapping, Background Vocal - Ellie Stanford, Violin - Gita Langley, Violin - Jessie Murphy, Violin - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Programmer, Marimba, Clapping - George Chung, Engineer - Reuben James, Piano - Yelfris Valdes, Trumpet - Chelsea Carmichael, Baritone Saxophone - Nathaniel Cross, Trombone, Performance Arranger - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, Clapping, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal - Richie Harrison, Tenor Saxophone
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Audra Mae, Composer, Lyricist - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - Amy Langley, Composer, Lyricist, Cello, Performance Arranger - Tom Skinner, Drums - Jamie Kenney, Composer, Lyricist - Blue May, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Bass - George Chung, Engineer - Sam Beste, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Lewis Jones, Engineer - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Marianne Haynes, Violin - Paloma Deike, Violin - Emma Owens, Viola - Amy Langley, Performance Arranger - Kotono Sato, Violin - Llinos Richards, Cello - Jonny Lattimer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer - Ellie Stanford, Violin - Gita Langley, Violin - Jessie Murphy, Violin - Sarah Sexton, Violin - Kate Robinson, Violin - Blue May, Producer, Engineer - Reuben James, Piano - Ciara Ismail, Violin - Clifton Harrison, Viola - Glesni Roberts, Violin - Jess Cox, Cello - Ben Rogerson, Cello - Glen Roberts, Composer, Lyricist - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, Engineer, MainArtist, Vocal - Klara Schumann, Cello - Jordan Bergmans, Viola - Jong on Okki Lau, Viola
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Rob Mullarkey, Guitar, Bass - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Tom Skinner, Drums - Kate Corris, Composer, Lyricist - Ramona Carlier, Composer, Lyricist - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Programmer, Timpani, Synthesizer, Clapping - George Chung, Engineer - June Miles-Kingston, Composer, Lyricist - Tev'n, Producer, Programmer, Synthesizer, Background Vocal - Glen Roberts, Composer, Lyricist - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Electric Guitar, Programmer, Synthesizer, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal - Jane Crockford, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Joel Pott, Composer, Lyricist - Amy Langley, Cello, Performance Arranger - Tom Skinner, Drums - Kotono Sato, Violin - Amy Stanford, Viola - Ellie Stanford, Violin - Gita Langley, Violin - Jessie Murphy, Violin - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Programmer, Clapping - George Chung, Engineer - Tev'n, Piano, Programmer, Background Vocal, AdditionalStudioProducer - Dayna Fisher, Bass - Barney Lister, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Background Vocal - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal - Jalen Ngonda, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Alex Blake, Composer, Lyricist - Tom Skinner, Drums, Percussion, Clapping - Dave Okumu, Electric Guitar, Clapping - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Synthesizer - George Chung, Engineer - Ari PenSmith, Composer, Lyricist - Tev'n, Programmer, Synthesizer, Background Vocal, AdditionalStudioProducer - J. Warner, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - Dayna Fisher, Bass - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Background Vocal, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Lewis Jones, Engineer - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - MARK STENT, Mixing Engineer - Marianne Haynes, Violin - Paloma Deike, Violin - Emma Owens, Viola - Amy Langley, Performance Arranger - Kotono Sato, Violin - Llinos Richards, Cello - Ellie Stanford, Violin - Gita Langley, Violin - Jessie Murphy, Violin - Sarah Sexton, Violin - Kate Robinson, Violin - Blue May, Producer, Engineer - George Chung, Engineer - Matt Maltese, Composer, Lyricist - Ciara Ismail, Violin - Clifton Harrison, Viola - Glesni Roberts, Violin - Jess Cox, Cello - Danny Casio, Composer, Lyricist - Ben Rogerson, Cello - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Vocal - Klara Schumann, Cello - Jordan Bergmans, Viola - Jong on Okki Lau, Viola
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Audra Mae, Composer, Lyricist - Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - LaDonna Harley-Peters, Choir - Vula Malinga, Choir - Sherelle McKenzie, Choir - Blue May, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, Mixing Engineer, Bass, Synthesizer - George Chung, Engineer - Alex Hope, Composer, Lyricist - Sam Beste, Producer, Piano, Synthesizer - Tev'n, Producer, Programmer, Synthesizer, Background Vocal - Ntuthuko Nhlumayo, Composer, Lyricist - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Simon Francis, Mastering Engineer - Jonny Lattimer, Composer, Lyricist - Blue May, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, Mixing Engineer - Ajay Bhattacharyya, Composer, Lyricist - Tev'n, Producer - Joy Crookes, Composer, Lyricist, Piano, MainArtist, Vocal
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
Album review
After being spotted by Sony on YouTube playing a cover of Hit The Road Jack, Joy Crookes raised the bar with several acclaimed EPs and a run of over 10 million views for COLORS. Quickly compared to the great voices of Shirley Bassey, Amy Winehouse, Adele or rising stars Cléo Sol, Jorja Smith and Arlo Parks, the Briton demonstrates on her first album that she is charting her own course. “Biologically and scientifically your skin is one of the strongest organs in your body. But socially and externally, your identity is something that can be used against you. I like that juxtaposition between strong and weak, and it’s something that I grapple with a lot on the album.” The 23-year-old singer, born to a Bengali mother and Irish father and raised at Elephant & Castle, makes her first album a self-portrait. Her intimate and political lyrics might be taken from the pages of a private diary: her musical contours reflect the typical South London mix. The proof is in Trouble, with its reggae tuba and female backing vocals, or the excellent Wild Jasmine, which has some good old R'n'B and effective hooks. In the nebulous landscape of English soul music, Crookes opts for classy orchestrations, which offer her voice a choice setting, a sound with a sense of history that is never merely retro. The songs can be reserved, (I Don't Mind), dramatic (19th Floor) or jazzy like When You're Mine with the revelation that is Chelsea Carmichael on saxophone. But also able to reduce themselves to the piano for the ballads Theek Ache and To Lose Someone. Airy, never dull, Skin assembles a feel-good soul-pop with steely words and a velvet voice. A tour de force. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:44
- Main artists: Joy Crookes
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Speakerbox Recordings
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
(P) 2021 Insanity Records / Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license from Speakerbox Recordings Limited
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