Access All Areas: Debut Album of the Year?

On the 15th of November 2024, British R&B girl-group, FLO, released their long-awaited debut studio album. Since the start of their career in 2019, the London-based trio have released multiple successful singles, attracting over three million monthly listeners on Spotify. Whilst Renée Downer and Stella Quaresma are relatively fresh faces in the music industry, Jorja Douglas has graced our screens before through her participation and subsequent winning of CBBC’s ‘Got What It Takes?’ in 2017. FLO wrote and produced their debut single ‘Cardboard Box’ with English pop-singer MNEK who has helped to shape both the contemporary and nostalgic sounds to the group’s music. The quality of their debut studio album, ‘Access All Areas’, is of such an incredibly high standard that it achieved a highest spot of No. 3 in the UK charts and has claimed a spot in my personal top ten albums of all time. 

‘Access All Areas’, for me, is the embodiment of what one might consider a no-skip album. Vocal range, instrumental experimentation and timeless beats come together to create the perfect sixteen-track project. Though it seems virtually impossible, I am going to attempt to give you my top five songs from the album in a list which has attracted more of my attention than my degree, this week. Admittedly, these five tracks are in no particular order as I could not bring myself to actually rank these songs, especially when choosing a top five from the album was challenging enough. 

The first of my five favourite songs goes to the title track, which adopts an initialism of the name of the album itself, ‘AAA’. Simultaneously claiming the honour of being my overall best song of 2024, ‘AAA’ is an absolute masterpiece of vocal skill and R&B greatness. The choruses and bridge are full of a nostalgic flavour that makes the listening experience addictive. The lyrics of the track exude confidence and contribute to an overarching feeling of female empowerment and success. 

Next on my list is ‘Nocturnal’. The most experimental track on the album, ‘Nocturnal’ is flooded with dramatic dance beats that make it my most anticipated song to see performed live. The final section of the song includes a creative change in beat and tempo that provokes the listener to imagine what kind of striking choreography may accompany it on tour. The only criticism I can possibly find for this track is that it fails to break the three-minute mark and simply isn’t long enough.

‘Check’ is the third entry in my top five. Released as a single in August 2024, I was already familiar with this track upon the release of the debut album. FLO do a fantastic job at demonstrating range and versatility while maintaining their signature sound and ‘Check’ is no exception. The hit adopts a retro 90s vibe that is the product of the girls’ music influences and inspirations and the uplifting message to ensure the highest standards in a relationship are reflected through the elevating lyrics. Rich harmonies, soft melodies and a completely catchy tune combine to create one of the strongest singles on the album. 

The final two spots are given to ‘On & On’ and ‘Get it Till I’m Gone’. Although quite different in their tempo and overall style, they successfully make it into my top five due to their high standards of production, dreamy vocals and, in the case of the latter, the ability to make the listener want to dance. Both caught my attention immediately as I listened to the album in its entirety for the first time. I think of ‘On & On’ as the younger sibling of ‘AAA’ as the vibrant melodies and smooth choruses are reminiscent of one another. Similarly to the other entries to my top five, these two tracks have been on repeat since their release. 

Overall, ‘Access All Areas’ is a huge success and has provided a refreshing contribution to the world of R&B. The songs not mentioned here are of the same unbelievable calibre and play just as big a role in making this album such a triumph. Their debut at No.3 in the UK album charts marks the highest position for a British R&B girl-group album in over 20 years and I hope that this is only the beginning of their success. My tickets for the ‘Access All Areas’ tour in March next year are secured and I am eagerly anticipating the ways in which FLO will transfer such an incredible debut album to the live stage.