The undeniably brilliant Jorja Smith has recently released her highly awaited debut album just prior to her 21st birthday. Anticipation levels don’t tend to be so high for an artists first full length piece of work; however, Jorja has shown us time and time again throughout her teens, with EPs and Singles, what an incredible talent she is and what a huge star she is destined to be. She’s already racked up collaborations with musicians at the forefront of music, such as; Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Stormzy and Kali Uchis.

The Album opener and title track ‘Lost & Found‘ gently welcomes in the listener for 46 minutes of sensational vocals combined with some very honest and open lyricism about love, heartache and society from a very real perspective. The title track features funky production from Charlie Perry, an instrumental that would be quite fitting on Frank Oceans debut album: Channel Orange.

The preceding track, Teenage Fantasy, is one of the 3 songs we’ve heard from Jorja prior to the release of this album; all songs justifiably being placed on this grander format and deserving all the attention the perhaps may not have garnered when put out in the past, earlier into Jorja Smiths rise. The other 2 tracks being: Where did I go? & Blue Lights.

The record begins to plateau around the middle at quite a high standard, the songs seeming to fit the theme of the album, proving she’s not just a hit-maker as she showcases extra levels to her artistry and displays bright signs for the future.

However, the album really begins to kick it up yet another notch once the aforementioned track Blue Lights comes into play, a song that was released in 2016 and penned whilst Jorja was still studying at college. She tells the tale of the darker realities and characters surrounding her in her youth, mixed with the harsh truth of young black peoples ingrained fear of the police.

This song is followed up by the excellent Lifeboats Freestyle, a complete shakeup during the album with lyrics bringing up the realism of society and peoples attitudes towards one another, all masqueraded in metaphors of the sea. A great track that displays Jorja as a very versatile young singer/songwriter.

Lost & Found seems to begin its conclusion with the tenth of the twelve tracks it has to boast. Goodbyes, Tomorrow & Don’t Watch Me Cry all seem to have a finality about them, each of them featuring Jorja almost bragging the phenomenal vocal presence and range that she possesses. The songs vary sonically from sounding holy to crashing, providing a powerful climax to her debut record. She has certainly teed herself up nicely for the giant future she is destined to have. One record into her already sparkling career, aged 20, displaying vocals of a veteran musician way beyond her years, her ascension is seemingly unstoppable.

8/10.