SOS by SZA

SOS is the second studio album by American singer SZA, released on December 9, 2022, via Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. SOS is primarily an R&B album with influences from hip hop and pop. The album samples sound references from soul, gospel, jazz and melodic rap. The sound of the album was described as "a varied palette", combining "surf rock" and "grunge" elements, alongside "her beloved lo-fi beats". In Complex, she described the album's sound: "I have no idea what it sounds like to anybody else. I really don't know. It's so bizarre. It's weird that I can't put my finger on it. It's a little bit of everything." She added that some parts of the song had an "aggressive" sound whereas others were soft or balladic. During the Rolling Stone interview, she and Punch spoke in length about the album's composition. The inspiration in question was eclectic, drawing from jazz, alternative rock, "traditional" R&B, country, and hip hop. About the wide range of genres incorporated into the album, SZA said she did not care if her production choices made the album sound incohesive, because to her, "if you sound like you, your shit’s going to be cohesive. Period." Punch commented: "It's a new chapter. She's not scared to try certain things now." SOS has received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 based on reviews from critics, the album received a score of 90 out of 100, based on 20 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". ℗ 2022 Top Dawg Entertainment, under exclusive license to RCA Records