ENNY's latest project, We Go Again, deserves to be in everyone’s rotation
Words Hemma Daddral (@hemmadaddral)
Critical acclaim has followed south London star ENNY since her debut EP, Under Twenty Five, released back in 2021. In the two years since, she's kept fans happy with numerous singles, which would later lay the groundwork for her latest project, We Go Again. Production is provided by Paya, Beat Butcha, Linden Jay, Emil, Yogic and Baker Aaron, who deliver a collection of soul, lo-fi and bossa nova, whilst maintaining ENNY’s charming rap style. With a run-time of 16 minutes, ENNY describes the project as a care package, which is perfectly depictive of what we've been gifted; 6 songs perfectly tied into a short but sweet collection.
Upon pressing play, we are welcomed by ‘U Shld Heal’, produced by long-time collaborator Paya who, most notably, was behind the prolific track, ‘Peng Black Girls’. Discordant chords act as the backdrop for the frustrations ENNY vocalises. It’s impressive how much is said despite the track only clocking in at 1 minute 30 seconds. She voices her discernment for constantly being put in the ‘conscious’ rapper box, beauty standards forced upon women, and more personal conflicts.
Initially released back in February, ‘No More Naija Men’ is full of the wit and smarts that ENNY is adored for. Producer Emil lays down a gorgeous saxophone melody that weaves through bongo drums, all topped with ENNY’s effortless flow. The rapper tackles the struggles of culture in love, the conflict of wanting affection yet the awareness of the pain that follows.
The care package then leads us into ‘Charge It’, a truly addictive track – honestly, this chorus has been stuck in my head for a week. String arrangements provide a stunning yet subtle swiftness to the song, carrying the melodious lyric 'fuck it let’s charge it'. ‘2am in Central’ continues to showcase the wordsmith's multifaceted talents, with the unapologetic delivery of lines like 'stush vaginas militant', existing right next to the girl-next-door, charming vocals that she serves on the chorus.
‘Champagne Problems’ is another single that preceded the project's release. The track sees ENNY at a mile a minute, before slipping into the infectious laid-back chorus. The conclusive track ‘Take It Slow’ feels victorious. There’s a certain uplift from tracks such as ‘Champagne Problems’ and ‘2am in Central’, which picks the energy back up in time for Loyle Carner's guest feature. The Mercury Prize Winner fits perfectly on the Linden Jay-produced tune. ‘Heartbreaking as I grow a little bitter, getting jealous to the glamor and the glitter, but it′s not real life’ prophesies Loyle as he uses his verse to discuss the trappings of fame. ENNY’s encouraging, repetitive ‘take it slow’ is lovely, closing the project perfectly with a distorted vocal outro.
At just six songs, We Go Again is everything that ENNY needed to give her fans. The beauty of a short project is its replay value. The outro circles back to the intro without realisation, meaning you can have it spinning for hours and not get bored. Every track gives something different whilst keeping the south London rapper’s charisma at the centre. To celebrate the release of the care package, ENNY has confirmed a one-off show at London’s Omeara on April 27.