Album Review: Casablanco by Marsha Ambrosius
At long last, Marsha Ambrosius teamed up with Dr. Dre to deliver their long-awaited album, ‘Casablanco,' and one of the best to come out in 2024.
Marsha Ambrosius has made a name for herself in R&B with her soothing vocals and soulful compositions. Her breakthrough came in 2001 when she co-wrote “Butterflies” for Michael Jackson, solidifying her status in the industry. Soon after, she debuted as one half of Floetry, a Philadelphia-based British duo. Their release, Floetic, received gold certification and Grammy recognition. After Floetry, Ambrosius pursued solo efforts while maintaining collaborative projects. Her 2011 solo debut, Late Nights & Early Mornings, featured the song “Far Away,” which earned two Grammy nods. She has deftly balanced writing for and performing with artists throughout her career. She has expanded her discography with emotionally rich albums like 2014’s slept-on release Friends & Lovers and 2018’s Nyla.
After a period of relative quiet following her last album, in late 2021, Ambrosius teased her fourth solo project, Casablanco, produced entirely by Dr. Dre (and his co-producers like Dem Jointz, DJ Khalil, Erik “Blu2th” Giggs, and others), along with a team of orchestral players with a heavy jazz influence and hip-hop callbacks. Both musicians shared updates on the album’s progress, including Dre’s social media post showing a string ensemble in the studio. Ambrosius resurfaced in late 2023 under Dre’s Aftermath label with the single “The Greatest.” This was followed by “One Night Stand,” a mellow track co-produced with Dre and released in March, but weeks before the album dropped, she dropped the lush “Greedy” in preparation for the record.
“Smoke” is a triumphant opener that depicts how nothing else matters but their connection, like the weather can't stop them. She uses the idea of "smoke" to show how strong their passion is; it's like a fire that keeps burning (“Better bring an umbrella just in case it rains/No pressure, just a taste of this and everything”). The following track, “Tunisian Nights,” borrows Nas’ “N.Y. State of Mind” as she unveils a passionate love story set. “Just lay your head on my pillow/Let me get you ready for bed,” Marsha sings. There’s a sense of surrendering to the intensity of the moment, with the promise of an unforgettable experience.
Ambrosius conveys the feeling of emptiness and longing after a relationship ends, reflecting on the memories and what could have been on the head-nodding “Cloudy With a Chance of… Real.” Over The Heath Brothers backdrop that makes you think of Nas’ “One Love,” she questions what went wrong and what it would take for her former lover to return. Through her heartfelt delivery, Ambrosius captures the universal experience of heartbreak and the complexities of letting go. We cannot stress how incredible the production sounds from beginning to end. On “Wet,” Ambrosius paints a vivid picture of a love so powerful it feels like a force of nature, but listening to what she’s singing about over the cinematic Dre beat, it’s self-explanatory.
The thing about Marsha Ambrosius is she gets in her storytelling bag on “Thrill Her,” where a woman walks in on her lover being unfaithful. She narrates the events as they unfold, starting with her arrival at the apartment and noticing signs of another person. Her initial shock gives way to anger and a desire for revenge. The song doesn't shy away from portraying her raw emotions, showcasing vulnerability and strength.
“I came into the apartment
Spilled some champagne on the carpet
Put the blunt down on the table
I can see he wasn't able, so i’ma go ahead and spark this.”
“Best I Could Find” follows the same suit as “Thrill Her,” where Marsha Ambrosius tells a tale of love lost and the bittersweet acceptance of moving on as she reworks Stevie Wonder’s “Visions.” She examines the pain of witnessing a relationship crumble despite initial hopes and dreams. Ambrosius sings of a love that has grown distant, leaving a void in its wake. The singer grapples with the realization that despite her best efforts, some things are not meant to last. Ultimately, it suggests finding solace in knowing you gave it your all, even when it wasn't enough.
In the two-part “Self Care / Wrong Right,” Ambrosius sings about the conflicting emotions of heartbreak: the desire to move on, coupled with the lingering feelings for her ex. She acknowledges her role in the relationship's demise, singing about her own mistakes and the need for self-reflection. The song doesn’t shy away from the raw honesty of healing as she grapples with the “wrong” and “right” choices that led to this point. “Looking in the mirror at this tear I cried, thought that I knew you, but you keep on telling me lies,” Marsha sings. Her voice is as strong as ever as she delivers a relatable narrative of heartbreak and self-growth.
Marsha closed the album strong with “Music of My Mind,” where she showcases her lyrical wordplay by referencing and interpolating “Butterflies,” “Players,” “Far Away,” “Say Yes,” “Forget Me Not,” “Brazilian Rhyme,” and others. She still has one of the illest pens in the game. With two near-perfect releases of Late Nights & Early Mornings and Friends & Lovers, Casablanco follows the same vein. Listeners who found Ambrosius’ previous work with Floetry challenging due to her occasional shaky vocal delivery will be pleased to discover a more refined performance in her latest release.
Her unique vocal quality, while still present, is applied more judiciously and in a manner that enhances the songs rather than overshadowing them. With her fourth album, one might have expected a narrow focus on themes of romance and home life, given her exploration of new love and settled existence. However, Ambrosius continues to blend traditional and contemporary musical elements while also delivering a wide spectrum of emotions and experiences, matching the breadth of her earlier albums.
Standout (★★★★½)
Favorite Track(s): “Tunisian Nights,” “Cloudy With a Chance of… Real,” “Wet,” “Best I Could Find”