This_Is_What_I_Mean
This Is What I Mean | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 25 November 2022 | |||
Length | 51:20 | |||
Label |
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Producer |
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Stormzy chronology | ||||
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Singles from This Is What I Mean | ||||
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This Is What I Mean is the third studio album by British rapper Stormzy, released through #Merky and 0207 Def Jam on 25 November 2022.[1] It follows Stormzy's 2019 album Heavy Is the Head,[2] and was preceded by the lead single "Hide & Seek"[3] and the follow-up single "Firebabe".[4] It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Brit Awards.[5]
Background
The album was recorded on Osea Island in England during a series of music camps with a team of "world class musicians and the best producers, writers and artists in the world" in a "free atmosphere",[6] where Stormzy "prayed every morning" during its creation. It was further described as an "intimate love letter to music" by Stormzy.[7]
The album's announcement follows the release of the single "Mel Made Me Do It" on 23 September 2022, which was not included on the album.[2]
Promotion
Following a break of almost three years from social media, Stormzy announced the album on his social media on 12 October 2022, sharing the cover art and track list.[8] The lead single "Hide & Seek" was released on 14 October 2022, and was preceded by clips of Stormzy recording the song.[3] The second single "Firebabe" followed on 10 November 2022.[4]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100[9] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Clash | 8/10[10] |
Evening Standard | [11] |
Financial Times | [12] |
The Guardian | [13] |
NME | [14] |
Pitchfork | 7.7/10[15] |
The Telegraph | [16] |
The Times | [17] |
This Is What I Mean was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 79, based on 14 reviews.[9]
Will Hodgkinson of The Times described the album as a "major achievement" with atypical guest stars from "contemporary Afrobeat, soul and R&B",[17] while David Smyth of the Evening Standard called it Stormzy's "most downbeat, intimate collection" that "very much sounds like a team effort[, t]hough the feel is insular and understated". Smyth summarised the two main themes on the album as being Stormzy "hurting from a break-up" and "the need for the advancement of black culture as a whole".[11]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fire + Water" |
|
| 8:17 |
2. | "This Is What I Mean (Feat. Amaarae, Black Sherif & Ms. Banks)" | 5:24 | ||
3. | "Firebabe (Feat. Debbie)" |
| 3:40 | |
4. | "Please" |
| Cutts | 2:53 |
5. | "Need You (Feat. Ayra Starr & Tendai)" |
| 3:16 | |
6. | "Hide & Seek" |
| 3:28 | |
7. | "My Presidents Are Black" |
|
| 4:22 |
8. | "Sampha's Plea (Feat. Sampha)" |
| Cutts | 2:45 |
9. | "Holy Spirit" |
|
| 4:42 |
10. | "Bad Blood (Feat. NAO)" |
|
| 4:03 |
11. | "I Got My Smile Back (Feat. India Arie)" |
| 4:11 | |
12. | "Give It To The Water (Feat. Debbie & Jacob Collier)" |
| Wardle | 4:12 |
Total length: | 51:13 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Stormzy – vocals
- Jack Shepherd – acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 6, 9), electric guitar (1, 3, 6, 7)
- Marco Bernardis – alto saxophone (1), flute (1), tenor saxophone (7)
- Debbie Ehirim – background vocals (1, 3), vocals (3, 12)
- Jacob Collier – background vocals (1–4, 11), piano (4, 8), vocals (12)
- Kz – background vocals, programming (1)
- Sampha – background vocals (1, 3), vocals (8)
- Tendai – background vocals (1), programming (1, 3), bass guitar (2), piano (3), vocals (5); additional vocals, keyboards (10)
- Prgrshn – programming (1, 5, 7), bass guitar (1, 5), piano (1, 2), percussion (1), keyboards (5–7, 9, 10, 11)
- Aaron Blake – piano (1)
- Joel Peters – programming (1, 3–7, 10), piano (1, 3), bass guitar (3, 12), keyboards (7, 12)
- Calum Landau – programming (1, 3, 5–7, 10), bass guitar (3, 10, 11)
- Gabriele Pribetti – saxophone (1)
- Knox Brown – background vocals (2)
- Storry – background vocals (2)
- P2J – programming (2, 5, 6, 10, 11), bass guitar (2, 5, 10), drums (2)
- Dave Daniels – cello (2)
- Llinos Richards – cello (2)
- Magda Pietraszewska – cello (2)
- Victoria Harrild – cello (2)
- Laurence Ungless – double bass (2)
- Steve Williams – double bass (2)
- Julian Hinton – strings (2, 3, 11); orchestra contractor, orchestra leader (2); programming (11)
- Laurie Anderson – viola (2)
- Lydia Lowndes-Northcott – viola (2)
- Nick Barr – viola (2)
- Paul Livingston – viola (2)
- Anna Croad – violin (2)
- Cathy Thompson – violin (2)
- Emma Fry – violin (2)
- Henry Salmon – violin (2)
- Jackie Roche – violin (2)
- Jamie Hutchinson – violin (2)
- Janice Graham – violin (2)
- Jo Archard – violin (2)
- Kirsty Mangan – violin (2)
- Martin Lissola – violin (2)
- Natalia Bonner – violin (2)
- Stephanie Benedetti – violin (2)
- Steve Morris – violin (2)
- Tom Kemp – violin (2)
- Amaarae – vocals (2)
- Black Sherif – vocals (2)
- Ms Banks – vocals (2)
- Jojo Mukeza – electric guitar, programming (3)
- George Moore – piano (3, 11), programming (3)
- Ras Kassa Alexander – piano (3)
- Stephanie Hatchman – background vocals (4)
- Linden Jay – bass guitar (4, 8)
- Dion Wardle – keyboards (4, 8), piano (5, 8, 9, 12)
- Owen Cutts – keyboards (4, 8), background vocals (6)
- Godwin Sonzi – guitar (5)
- Juls – programming (5)
- Sheila Maurice-Grey – trumpet (5)
- Ayra Starr – vocals (5)
- Oxlade – background vocals (6)
- Teni – background vocals (6)
- Äyanna – background vocals (6, 7)
- Abdala Elamin – background vocals (7)
- Maleik Loveridge – choir (7), background vocals (9)
- Naomi Parchment – choir (7), background vocals (9)
- Olivia Williams – choir (7), background vocals (9)
- Serena Prince – choir (7), background vocals (9)
- Akin Amusan – choir (7)
- Cherice Voncelle – choir (7)
- Daniel Arieleno – choir (7)
- James Thompson – choir (7)
- Kieran Briscoe – choir (7)
- Nathaniel Warner – choir (7)
- Nicholas Brown – choir (7)
- Patrick Linton – choir (7)
- Paul Lee – choir (7)
- Renee Fuller – choir (7)
- Taneka Duggan – choir (7)
- India Arie – vocals (11)
Technical
- Dale Becker – mastering
- Naweed – mastering, CD Album / Singles
- Leandro "Dro" Higaldo – mixing (1, 2, 5–7, 10, 11)
- Alex Ghenea – mixing (3, 9)
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (4, 8, 12)
- Joel Peters – engineering
- Calum Landau – engineering (3, 6, 12), engineering assistance (1, 2, 4, 5, 7–11)
- Mat Bartram – engineering (3)
Charts
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] | 72 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] | 58 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] | 25 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 48 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 96 |
Irish Albums (OCC)[23] | 10 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] | 40 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] | 5 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[26] | 40 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 35 |
UK Albums (OCC)[28] | 1 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[29] | 1 |
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[30] | 1 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Arcand, Rob (12 October 2022). "Stormzy Announces New Album This Is What I Mean". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ a b Darville, Jordan (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces new album This Is What I Mean". The Fader. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ a b Kenneally, Cerys (13 October 2022). "Stormzy announces first This Is What I Mean single 'Hide & Seek'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ a b Holden, Finlay (10 November 2022). "Stormzy has released a second single, 'Firebabe', from his upcoming third album, 'This Is What I Mean'". Dork. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Smith, Carl (12 January 2023). "BRIT Awards 2023 nominations REVEALED". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (12 October 2022). "Grime Star Stormzy Returning With Third Album 'This Is What I Mean'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ Neale, Matthew (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces new album 'This Is What I Mean'". NME. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ Murray, Tom (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces 'intimate' new album This Is What I Mean". The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ^ Mellen, James (25 November 2022). "Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". Clash. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ a b Smyth, David (25 November 2022). "Stormzy This is What I Mean album review – he's already the GOAT, now he's a grown-up". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review — grace and vulnerability from the UK's most significant rapper". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review – haunted by heartbreak on his most personal album yet". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ Moore, Sam (25 November 2022). "Stormzy – 'This Is What I Mean' review: levelling up on his own terms". NME. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ Pritchard, Will (1 December 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ McCormick, Neil (25 November 2022). "With this powerful torch album, Stormzy abandons the macho to reveal rap's soft side". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review—The megastar's third album is a major achievement". The Times. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 5 December 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1709. Australian Recording Industry Association. 5 December 2022. p. 6.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 48, 2022". Hitlisten. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 March 2023.