This Is What I Mean | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 25 November 2022 | |||
Length | 51:20 | |||
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Producer |
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Stormzy chronology | ||||
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Singles from This Is What I Mean | ||||
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This Is What I Mean is the third studio album by British rapper Stormzy, released through #Merky and 0207 Def Jam on 25 November 2022.[1] It follows Stormzy's 2019 album Heavy Is the Head,[2] and was preceded by the lead single "Hide & Seek"[3] and the follow-up single "Firebabe".[4] It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Brit Awards.[5]
The album was recorded on Osea Island in England during a series of music camps with a team of "world class musicians and the best producers, writers and artists in the world" in a "free atmosphere",[6] where Stormzy "prayed every morning" during its creation. It was further described as an "intimate love letter to music" by Stormzy.[7]
The album's announcement follows the release of the single "Mel Made Me Do It" on 23 September 2022, which was not included on the album.[2]
Following a break of almost three years from social media, Stormzy announced the album on his social media on 12 October 2022, sharing the cover art and track list.[8] The lead single "Hide & Seek" was released on 14 October 2022, and was preceded by clips of Stormzy recording the song.[3] The second single "Firebabe" followed on 10 November 2022.[4]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100[9] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Clash | 8/10[10] |
Evening Standard | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Financial Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 7.7/10[15] |
The Telegraph | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
This Is What I Mean was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 79, based on 14 reviews.[9]
Will Hodgkinson of The Times described the album as a "major achievement" with atypical guest stars from "contemporary Afrobeat, soul and R&B",[17] while David Smyth of the Evening Standard called it Stormzy's "most downbeat, intimate collection" that "very much sounds like a team effort[, t]hough the feel is insular and understated". Smyth summarised the two main themes on the album as being Stormzy "hurting from a break-up" and "the need for the advancement of black culture as a whole".[11]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Fire + Water" |
|
| 8:17 |
2. | "This Is What I Mean" (featuring Amaarae, Black Sherif, Ms Banks and STORRY) | 5:24 | ||
3. | "Firebabe" (featuring Debbie) |
| 3:40 | |
4. | "Please" |
| Cutts | 2:53 |
5. | "Need You" (featuring Tendai and Ayra Starr) |
| 3:16 | |
6. | "Hide & Seek" |
| 3:28 | |
7. | "My Presidents Are Black" |
|
| 4:22 |
8. | "Sampha's Plea" (featuring Sampha) |
| Cutts | 2:45 |
9. | "Holy Spirit" |
|
| 4:42 |
10. | "Bad Blood" (featuring NAO) |
|
| 4:03 |
11. | "I Got My Smile Back" (featuring India.Arie) |
| 4:11 | |
12. | "Give It to the Water" (featuring Debbie & Jacob Collier) |
| Wardle | 4:12 |
Total length: | 51:13 |
Musicians
Technical
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] | 72 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] | 58 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] | 25 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 48 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 96 |
Irish Albums (OCC)[23] | 10 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] | 40 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] | 5 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[26] | 40 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 35 |
UK Albums (OCC)[28] | 1 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[29] | 1 |
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[30] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |