The Queen Of Insomnia

Janet Jackson “No Sleeep”

It’s a bit of a relief that Janet Jackson’s first single in seven years doesn’t make it look as though she’s straining to seem young or trying to conform to the sound of whatever was popular on the radio a year ago. “No Sleeep” is just Janet doing one of her core Janet things – ultra-languid down-tempo R&B that conveys an overt yet understated sexuality. This is a song that definitely would’ve fit in pretty well on either janet. or The Velvet Rope, but is clearly coming from the perspective of someone a bit older and more self-assured. There was always a trace of nerves and self-doubt on those old records, but “No Sleeep” is notable in how it seems utterly devoid of anxiety. It’s the sound of feeling truly comfortable in your own skin with someone else, which makes this sort of an aspirational song.

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Astronauts, etc. “No Justice”

“No Justice” is somewhere in the middle of the continuum between ‘70s quiet storm R&B and ’00s post-Beach House indie music: It’s all rather sultry and tonally rich, but the romance is expressed mainly in a guitar tone that’s derived from ‘80s new wave. It’s a very romantic sound, and implies a lot of heavy emotions while taking up very little space in the mix. The power of the guitar in a song like this is how it rings out in the negative space, and floats over a subtle Fender Rhodes groove and mingles with a very earnest falsetto.

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