Falling or Flying

Jorja Smith

U.K. R&B artist Jorja Smith burst onto the scene with a once-in-ageneration voice that helped her quickly gain traction and score a handful of crossover hits very early in her career. Recently she has been reclusive; she seemingly retreated from her early momentum and moved to her hometown of Walsall to record the follow-up to her acclaimed debut. The long-awaited Falling or Flying is carried by its singles: jungle summer anthem “Little Things,” and a gorgeous title track. Despite its highs, the album can lag between these songs. There are some beautiful moments in those valleys though; the production is intentionally slick and subdued, as Smith floats between lush arrangements instead of stealing the show with her vocals. On first listen, the album could be dismissed as another letdown from a late2010s artist failing to recreate early excitement, but the beauty in the closer “What if My Heart Beats Faster?” suggests there may be room to grow for this one