If you aren’t yet familiar with Jamila Woods, welcome to the club. We’ve been waiting. While you may not know her name, you have most likely heard her voice – the Chicago-based artist sings on Chance the Rapper‘s tracks Sunday Candy and Blessings, which she performed alongside Chance on Colbert, Fallon and SNL.
Now, Woods has announced her highly anticipated debut project Heavn, set for release on Monday, July 11 via Closed Sessions. The feature-packed release includes collaborations from the likes of Saba, Kweku Collins, Donnie Trumpet and Lorine Chia, with production from Carter Land, Peter Cottonlate, oddCouple and more.
The first track to be released from the album is LSD, featuring Chance the Rapper. The track is really smooth, with honeyed instrumental layers, a rich, creamy melody, a choral verse, not unlike the gospel sounds which runs through Colouring Book, and of course, an expectedly amazing verse from Chance. In particular, the vocal harmonies throughout Woods’ verses are really sublime, adding a delicate and dulcet fringe to the already gorgeous tone.
Woods had this to say about LSD: “When I was a kid, getting on Lake Shore Drive from the south side to go downtown was magical. I lived on the east coast for a few years and people would laugh when I told them we have beaches and a lake we can swim in. I always wanted to write about that. A lot of people get Chicago wrong. I’ve developed this protective feeling about how we’re portrayed, and at the same time I’m acutely aware of the issues we face and the root causes of these issues. It’s important to me that there’s not just one story told about our city. LSD is an ode to Chicago, a song for the complicated love I have for my city.”
Listen here, and find the full track list below.