Jorja Smith has been preparing us for her upcoming sophomore set falling or flying for a good chunk of the year now. The set has been heralded by three singles thus far — “Try Me,” “Little Things” and “GO GO GO.” Though all produced by production duo DAMEDAME*, the songs’ disparate sounds have us wondering what the album’s direction will be. The singer-songwriter might have answered that question by releasing the set’s title track, “Falling or flying,” as its latest single.
“Falling or flying” turns out to be a vulnerable midtempo cut from the singer infused with an extra bit of groove to keep things interesting. Guitar, drums and a thick bass line serve as the musical foundation for the track. Jorja, meanwhile, gives it a soul as she works through a complicated love affair. She sings of trying to figure things out through her confusion but ultimately resigns herself to it on the chorus.
“I don’t know where you are, but I don’t wanna go to sleep, babe,” she sings. “I know you care, but please, don’t take it easy on me, babe / Ooh-ooh, hey / I could bе fallin’, flyin’, I wouldn’t know the differencе.”
Jorja becomes a space cadet for the video, prepping for a mission while pining for a lover who wouldn’t join her. We see her going through the motions of preparing for her trip as lights flash around her in an otherwise empty space. It doesn’t take long for her to gear up for her mission solo, though, as we see her start to tear up in the video’s last moments before blast off.
“Falling or flying” once again defies genre, leading us to think that will be the common thread of the album. We’ll find out for sure when the set releases on September 29th. Until then, listen to the single right here and then head below to watch the song’s visual and peep the album’s full tracklist.
Jorja Smith falling or flying tracklist:
1. Try Me
2. She Feels
3. Little Things
4. Flights Skit
5. Feelings (feat. J Hus)
6. Falling or flying
7. GO GO GO
8. Try and fit in
9. Greatest Gift (feat. Lila Iké)
10. Broken is the man
11. Make sense
12. Too many times
13. Lately
14. BT69 JJY
15. Backwards
16. What if my heart beats faster?