Tkay Maidza – Sweet Justice LP 4AD Records

Bright, soulful and seductive, Sweet Justice – the second album by Los Angeles-based, Zimbabwe-born, Australia-raised Tkay Maidza—shows off every facet of the irrepressible Tkay: her lacerating wit and infectiousness, her staunch self-belief and refusal to compromise. The result of a dark night of the soul—and ensuing epiphany—that led to a series of professional and personal reckonings, Sweet Justice isn’t a revenge album, but it does stem from a profound sense of karma. Tkay has never sounded more liberated, or like she’s having more fun. She flits effortlessly between styles, letting her irrefutable personality be the connective tissue. After severing ties with old friends, she found some new ones on the same creative wavelength: Canadian producers Stint and Kaytranada, and fellow Australian Flume, all of whom contribute production. Sweet Justice is an album that embodies the beautiful contradictions of Tkay’s art: it’s a coming-of-age record by someone who’s mastered the game; an album about karmic justice and accountability that’s bright, breezy and incredibly fun, eviscerating those who are dishonest and disrespectful with a venom-laced kiss. As Tkay sings on “Love Again”, a song designed to sound like a meditation session: “Gone are the days I was falling/And seeing there’s no escape.” It’s like they always say: Living well is the best revenge. On Sweet Justice, Tkay shows you first hand.