Joy Crookes’ Juniper Album Review: A Soulful Return

After a four-year hiatus marked by a self-described "mental health crisis" and personal upheaval, South London’s Joy Crookes returned in late 2025 with Juniper. If her Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Skin, was a "macro" look at identity and heritage, Juniper is the microscopic equivalent—a visceral, sometimes messy, and utterly brilliant dive into the trenches of adulthood.

The title itself—named after an evergreen tree that thrives in harsh conditions—serves as the perfect metaphor for Crookes’ 2026 status: she is resilient, stubbornly alive, and creatively evergreen.

The Sonic Landscape: Retro Soul Meets Trip-Hop

Musically, Juniper is a significant evolution. Collaborating once again with producers like Blue May and Tev’n, Crookes moves beyond the lush neo-soul of her debut into more experimental territory.

• The Sound: The album is a "sumptuous blend" of 60s Philly soul, smoky jazz, and gritty trip-hop.

• The Features: The inclusion of Vince Staples on the menacing "Pass the Salt" and Kano on the bittersweet "Mathematics" adds a contemporary edge, though some purists argue her solo vocals are so powerful they don't need the assist.

• Standout Production: "I Know You’d Kill" channels a high-tempo, spy-thriller energy with a sharp horn arrangement, while "Perfect Crime" offers an optimistic, whistle-along beat that masks a darker narrative.

Lyrical Themes: "Live and Direct from the Trenches"

The "scarily real" nature of the lyrics is where the album finds its spine. Crookes writes with a raw, poetic directness that feels more like a confession than a performance.

• "Brave": The album opener is a soul-baring admission of exhaustion. "I’m so sick, I’m so tired / I can’t keep losing my mind," she sings, setting a tone of radical honesty.

• "Mother": A standout track that explores intergenerational trauma and the "family baggage" we carry. It’s tender, unsparing, and features a hauntingly beautiful piano riff.

• "Paris": The six-minute closing track reflects on a formative queer relationship, untangling herself from "Catholic guilt" and finding pride. It’s a vulnerable, cinematic end to the journey.

The Critical Verdict: A Triumph of Self-Expression

Critics have widely praised Juniper for its refusal to "tidy things up" for public consumption.

• The Guardian called it "sadness made sublime by streetwise soul."

• DIY Magazine hailed it as a "testament to Joy’s inner strength."

• The Mancunion noted that while the Euro-pop-inspired "First Last Dance" might be a rare "boring" musical stumble, the album as a whole is "nothing short of remarkable."

Tracklist at a Glance

1. Brave

2. Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)

3. Carmen

4. Perfect Crime

5. Mathematics (feat. Kano)

6. House With A Pool

7. I Know You’d Kill

8. First Last Dance

9. Mother

10. Somebody To You

11. Forever

12. Paris

Juniper is the sound of an artist who has stopped running away from her vulnerabilities and started using them as a compass. In the landscape of 2026, Joy Crookes remains a "once-in-a-generation" voice—one that reminds us that even when things are falling apart, there is a certain, defiant joy in surviving it.

Source - https://thebadgeronline.com/2026/02/joy-crookes-juniper-album-review/

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