Album Review: Access All Areas by FLO
The British R&B girl group finally unleashed their long-awaited debut album that harkens back to the late ‘90s to early 2000s pop/R&B sound.
Based in London, FLO combines nostalgic R&B with pop influences and was formed in 2019. Renée Downer and Stella Quaresma, who met at Sylvia Young Theatre School, continued at East London Arts and Music, eventually connecting with Jorja Douglas. Douglas had won the British talent show Got What It Takes? in 2017, and after meeting at an audition, the trio developed music together and signed with Island Records. In March 2022, they released their debut single, “Cardboard Box,” which they co-wrote with Savannah Jade and produced with MNEK. A second single, “Immature,” arrived in July 2022, produced by MNEK and Jamal Woon, with both tracks appearing on their debut EP, The Lead. The EP also featured “Not My Job.” FLO’s 2023 single “Fly Girl,” a collaboration with Missy Elliott, included elements from Elliott’s “Work It.” FLO later released the 3 of Us EP the same year, and now their long-awaited debut album, Access All Areas.
Accompanying by the intro of Cynthia Erivo, the title track presents a sultry, sensual narrative of intimacy and desire, evident in Stella’s saying, “What’s done in the dark/Got me catchin’ feelings” and Renée’s “Hot and sweaty, visions in the bedroom.” Notably, the bridge section introduces the idea of exclusivity within this intimate setting: “Putting on a private show, get excited/This is just for you, ain’t nobody else invited.” Camper comes through at the buzzer with “Bending My Rules,” which depicts the group grappling with intense attraction while feeling apprehensive about pursuing it. Their vulnerability and confidence create a relatable track about the exhilarating yet nerve-wracking experience of new romantic possibilities. One of the meticulously crafted R&B tracks of the year, “Get It Till I’m Gone” is about a deteriorating relationship replete with emotionally charged statements that underscore the frustration and disappointment (“If he’s too complacent, I’ll replace him easy”).
To follow up with potential mainstream breakthroughs, “In My Bag” has GloRilla got “Christian to the floor like I can’t get a devil time of day,” and the bouncy “IWH2BMX,” aka “I Would Hate 2 Be My Ex,” is gorged with unapologetic declarations of success and independence: “I’m a popstar like Rihanna” and “Built myself a good life that you’ll never be a part of.” It follows nicely with “Nocturnal,” which revolves around a tireless work ethic, financial finesse, and an unyielding drive to succeed. “On & On” vessels an intimate scenario brimming with sexual tension and anticipation that sounds like SWV would make for Release Some Tension. Noteworthy is the second verse’s playful command, “First things first/Don’t talk, just be about it,” further accentuates the desire for action over words and sonically balances with nostalgia very well.
Following the shift from the “Trustworthy” interlude, “Caught Up” is another of the best uses of nostalgia, but modern. It details instances of doubt and a chorus that warns of a potentially unfaithful partner. Backed by a Jay Versace production and Sevyn Streeter/Jozzy handling songwriting duties, FLO crafts a narrative of suspicion and confrontation within a romantic partnership. “How Does It Feel?” has the potential for a mainstream breakout as a self-assured, empowering R&B track that exudes confidence and sexual allure. The verses further reinforce this sentiment, with Renée asserting, “I bet you feel like that man when you next to me/Just as you should,” and later warning, “But you better play your position, don’t let it slip.” Stella’s verse continues this thread, emphasizing the singers’ ability to have anyone while choosing their current partner: “How does it feel to know I could have anyone/But you’re the one that I want?”
However, nostalgia can get you so far when some of the songs sound derivative from the late ‘90s to early 2000s sound. Whether it’s their goal or not to capture the sound, we’ve heard cosplays too many times. While “Check” highlights a celebration of newfound love that employs a clever “checklist” motif, it sounds like it’ll fit on Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def All-Stars compilation or any Uncle Luke album as it borrows from the Miami Bass sound. It’s not bad of a song, but you’d rather hear the originators making it than someone else re-creating that feeling, and that same can be said for “Walk Like This,” another cookie-cutter braggadocious song. “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” feels too on-the-nose on the sound, but it’ll resonate deeply with the universal experience of looking back on a failed connection and wondering what might have been. The bright side is that the track represents a turning point in their perspective, moving from regret to a realization that perhaps the relationship’s failure was for the best.
Beyond those gripes, FLO does give us a bit of everything on Access All Areas. It may not knock it out of the park, but you cannot deny that these ladies can sing and harmonize pretty damn well. Once they take their time and craft a sound that isn’t derivative of their influences, they can make it out beyond overseas and put girl groups back to the forefront. “I’m Just a Girl” finishes strong as an incisive critique of the music industry’s treatment of women, particularly Black women, and the expectations placed upon them. It serves a dual purpose: a sardonic acknowledgment of how society often dismisses women’s capabilities and a defiant assertion of identity. With a guitar-heavy cinematic trap beat, Renée’s verse addressing the lack of representation for Black women in mainstream media (“How many Black girls do you see on center stage now?”) adds another layer of complexity to the song’s commentary on gender and racial dynamics in the entertainment industry.
With their debut album, FLO offers a perspective on the challenges faced by women in music while simultaneously celebrating their endurance and determination to be seen and heard on their own terms.
Solid (★★★½☆)
Favorite Track(s): “Access All Areas,” “On & On,” “IWH2BMX”