Nao, For All We Know, review: ‘ A sprawling statement of intent’

From South Woodford via Nottingham and with a background that’s as much gospel and jazz as garage and new R&B, and includes a stint at the Guildhall School Of Music & Drama, Neo Joshua seems a pretty safe bet, even though it’s taken her 28 years to get around to her debut album.

Making up for lost time, she’s co-written 17 of the 18 tracks and was heavily involved in its production.

The result is a sprawling statement of intent, as singular as D’Angelo or Prince, albeit without their flights of wonder.

Her child-like voice belies the adult-flavoured lyrics of We Don’t Give A and Bad Blood but her real knack is her unerring ability to knock out a delicious, summery but hardcore groove which explodes on the cacophonous swirl of the standout In The Morning.

She’s far from the finished article but she’s old enough to know what she’s doing and For All We Know is the sound of a woman taking control of her destiny.