PinkPantheress Returns to the Forefront of the Scene with ‘Heaven knows’

Releasing her debut album, Heaven knows, over two years after the release of her widely popular mixtape to hell with it, PinkPantheress continues to trailblaze her niche, allowing fans to revel in her brilliance. Although lacking in the novelty that came with her first mixtape, Heaven knows certainly brings its own charm to the table, cementing its place as the fall soundtrack of our lives. 

I have to say, as eclectic as PinkPantheress is, I do wish the project was more exploratory and had more of an otherworldly dimension to it. Don't get me wrong; tracks like “True Romance” and “Bury Me” highlight her versatility, and they happen to be personal favorites as well. However, you just can’t shake the feeling that she possesses a level of untapped potential that could mesmerize us all if she delved into the full extent of her capabilities. After listening to the 13-track album, most of the production offered a contrast of sounds and genres ranging from Electronic, Dance, and SynthPop. But there were also a few songs that were missing an extra layer of sauce and depth.  Some of the collaborations felt a little lackluster and subdued — for example on “Another Life”, it felt like Rema’s verse was short and he got lost in the song, it didn’t add anything to the song and he wasn’t utilized for his strengths when he normally carries on every song he’s featured on.  While the assisted feature on “Bury Me” from Kelela complimented PinkPantheress’s vocals. Her abilities extend far beyond what we have witnessed thus far, hinting at the potential for a truly ground-breaking magnum opus, should she fully harness her untapped reservoir of talent.

Overall I was satisfied with Heaven knows, and I leave the table in anticipation of how she will elevate her sound for the many (hopefully) projects to come. 

Final Grade: B

Favorite tracks: True Romance, The aisle, Bury Me, Capable of Love

Sam Goodman contributed to this piece.