As if our anticipation for Ari Lennox’s sophomore LP age/sex/location wasn’t high enough, this surprise EP previewing the project showcases an artist reaching new heights as an R&B futurist, her voice just as commanding as it was on 2019 debut Shea Butter Baby but her songwriting and production choices thinking much further ahead. Away Message naturally peaks with the opulent Summer Walker collaboration “Queen Space,” but don’t sleep on “Gummy,” an ultra-smooth clap-along with one of Lennox’s funkiest vocal deliveries to date.
