Months before the February 2019 release of
thank u, next
,
Ariana Grande
told Billboard she wanted to "put out music in the way a rapper does," meaning that she didn't want to be beholden to the strict release schedule of a pop singer. She wanted to release singles and albums as quickly as she recorded them, a modus operandi that seemed sensible when she delivered an album as vibrant as
.
Grande
designed its swift sequel
Positions
as mood music -- specifically, it's a soundtrack for long nights of sex.
is single-minded in its pursuit of carnality, an album devoted to
singing dirty over elastic, erotic slow jams. Her lyrics are often explicit, causing a slight tension with her vocals, which are always controlled and very rarely given to moments of sensuality; she never seems quite as carnal as the words she's singing. This cool, reserved vibe doesn't necessarily sabotage
's intent, as it does help maintain the mood. Such an intense, sustained focus does mean
succeeds in sounding sexy -- it's meant to be sex music, nothing more, nothing less. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine