Streaming sensation Alina Baraz fully establishes herself on new album It Was Divine

Emerging from the peripheries of R&B in 2015, the alluring LA-based act began carving out the foundations of her career, collaborating with electronic-producer Galimatias on their joint project Urban Flora. Instantly beguiling the likes of Harper's Bazaar and The Guardian, the singer went on to release The Colour Of You in 2018, which honed in further on her dainty vocals and introspective lyrics. With over one billion streams under her belt to date, the now primed Alina Baraz appears ready for her close-up in the form of It Was Divine.

Instantly setting the bar high, Baraz leans into a place of familiarity, laying-bare her appreciation for love on the album’s opener “My Whole Life”. The dreamy, laid back record is fuelled by a passion that is hard to ignore. Thundering drum beats lead the way as the listener is taken into a trance which only intensifies as It Was Divine progresses.

Part of what makes Alina Baraz’s debut effortlessly impressive, lies in its ability to win over listeners without relying on vocal acrobatics. Throughout, the Clevland-native largely employs tone to convey her message. On her duet with Smino “Gimme the Wheel” for instance, Baraz is lighter and even more airy, melding faultlessly with the lyrics concerning giving up control. “Night and Morning” in contrast, is taken more seriously as the singer is intentional about her admiration for her lover. “You fill the space between night and day,” she sings zestfully. Baraz finds the perfect duality in this terrain to convey her many sentiments towards romance and its intricacies.

As well as Smino, It Was Divine’s additional guests are kept light. However, all aid the project in different ways. 6LACK, like Baraz, has an ability to hypnotise listeners. Together, on “Morroco”, the duo are sensual in a complimentary manner, perhaps crafting one of the most poetic sex-cuts yet. Elsewhere, Nas delivers one of his more coherent verses in recent years on “Until I Met You”, proving that he’s still a stellar wordsmith when he’s focused. Lastly, close-friend Khalid, adds yet another collaboration to the list via “Off the Grid,” his pop-country vocals helping to usher up a pulsating crossover duet.

It Was Divine is a near-flawless ode to falling in love. Alina Baraz’s comfort in vulnerability and her figurative approach in conveying this are the desired ingredients for a remarkable debut offering. But perhaps the most compelling part of this concoction lies in its cohesive approach. Each and every number falls seamlessly into the next winning over listeners long before the 52-minute end mark. Amongst the Sabrina Claudio’s and SZA’s of her generation, Baraz has quickly found her feet and laid them firmly in the ground.