Pop singer Alina Baraz has an angelic dream-like quality to her voice. Her talent is undeniable; what Baraz had to accomplish on her sophomore album was finding herself. While it is corny, Baraz shows who she is on her new album, “It Was Divin.” She goes into her past and shares experiences very close to her. The album serenades the listener in part because Baraz is serenading herself.
In an interview with CLASH, Baraz states she wants listeners to go through her album in order, yet the song that speaks most to who she is comes nine tracks in with “To Me.” The track starts with the patter of rain as smooth mandolins emerge to support Baraz’s heavenly voice. On the track, Baraz is conversing with herself about past relationships, showing that it is alright to get out of bad situations when it is what’s best for her.
Although “To Me” is the best song on the album, the rest of the tracks capture similar sentiments. In the intro track “My Whole Life,” Baraz directs her fantastical voice to a new lover. Baraz relates that she is head over heels for this person over a mellow baseline and Spanish influenced guitar, accompanied with piano accents for a fairy-like quality. Baraz shows how fast her devotion grew for this person, demonstrating an innocent, full-fledged love.
The melancholy love songs continue with “Frank,” “Endlessly” and “More Than Enough.” But while the bassline in “Endlessly” is stop and go, “Frank” has more of an R&B funk sound and “More Than Enough” has a sophisticated production of groovy synths and celestial instrumentation. These songs deal with different versions of relationships that Baraz has encountered. Baraz is combing through her past experiences to gain inspiration for this album. She is showing that now nothing is off the table for her. She is attempting to be more transparent with her personal life.
The album elevates itself with features and a motto of “less is more.” The peppy, snapping cream of the crop feature is on “Until I Met You (feat. Nas),” layered over staggered guitar strumming and Baraz calming ethereal voice. The song is a change of mood in the album, where many of the songs are slow and muted, Baraz demonstrates some positivity. Nas also adds an incredible presence as one of the Don’s of rapping. His enunciated verse piques interest into what sort of relationships he has had, showing that many women he has encountered are just around for the money.
Another highlight in the features is when Baraz collaborates with long time friend Khalid on “Off the Grid.” The track begins with Baraz’s voice over an intricate drum progression. The drum’s act as the first harmonizer of the song before Khalid comes with his magisterial voice. The two friends act as great harmonizers for one another, and the two should know each other’s voices by now as this is their seventh song together. This song also gives a break to the melancholy as it has one of the faster rhythm pattern of the album.
Baraz has demonstrated that she is willing to evolve. She has created an album with a unified sound while being able to mix different tracks to make it whole. Baraz is willing to share quite a bit with her fans as she wants them to feel connected to her music. If she is ready to continue to make music, which gives her vulnerability, her fans will continue to fall in love with her radiant talent.
