Doja Cat: Planet Her (2021) Review

 This is probably the first Doja Cat album I've listened to in full - I think overall I wasn't sure what exactly to expect stylistically, but after a few listens, I think I really came to love this album. It wasn't what I expected from her previous music, but I like that there's an artistic freedom here. (and yes, I am that person who reviews albums now.) 

Woman 

Someone pointed out that this song has a real Jidenna vibe and I definitely agree - it's a kinda laid back vibe with a great beat. I like this - I'm not sure I would have chosen this to be the first song of the album but it's definitely a kinda song I could imagine playing in the background at a high class bar. I like this. 

Naked

I love this song - it's hella catchy. The melody and the beat of this slaps so hard, and my favorite line of this "follow me to ya dressing room, let me know if you ain't got that NSFW".  What a fucking great line. Also the prechorus chord progression is great - it tickles me the right way. 

Payday (ft. Young Thug) 

my IMMEDIATE favorite during my first listen - the opening melody line has just got such a VIBE about it, and the way the music flows and blooms into that opening is fantastic. admittedly, the Young Thug portion of this song really doesn't do it for me, but honestly the musical theme from the opening that just plays underneath the whole song just saves it - and the sort of playful falsetto sounds from Doja Cat in the chorus is a great touch. 

Get into It (Yuh) 

This song was the song that initially struck me as the song with the most 'trademark' Doja Cat rap flow - it was more of the thing I'd expected from her rather than the more vocally melodic tracks from this album. This has that sort of cheeky vibe to it - and it's a fun song. 

Need to Know 

This came with a MV - first time around I wasn't super impressed by this song but it's definitely grown on me. I love the mixing of the rap and the vocals towards the end of the song, mixing in: tell me what's your kink, gimme the dick // spank me, slap me, choke me bite me. I think the flow of that was just great. Very neat. I ended up kinda liking the MV after a few watches too. 

I don't Do Drugs (ft. Ariana Grande) 

Another hit from the album - the opening is just SO good, and the melody is so catchy. You can't help but vibe to this song especially with the blended harmonies of the 'oooohs'. My favorite bit is when the bass come in around "hard for me to let you go" - yeah. Love this. Banger. 

Love to Dream 

I think this has a real chill feeling to it - I like the almost ballad like quality with the lightness of Doja Cat's vocals here, when she uses her head voice it feels a little more floaty and feminine. Contrast that to her rapping at the end, it's also a little lighter and playful than usual. I like the live Vevo performance she did of this - it's not my favorite but I think it has a nice cadence to the whole song while is a nice breather for the middle of the album. 

You Right (ft. the Weeknd) 

This one has a catchy chorus and a nice melody but its one of the songs that I'd play at the background of a party.  

Been like This 

I kinda like the theme of this song - it's not the immediate thing that hits you when you first listen to this, but when you have another look at this, this feels like the kinda song you'd play after your 4th glass of wine post break up - you're having a hazy emotional breakdown but you're still feeling yourself. 

Options (ft. JID) 

YOU KNOW WE BOTH GOT OPTIONSSSS. I dont love the opening of this but i kinda like the energy and the flow of this song. Again, not a big fan of the JID feature, although I guess it makes sense with the theme of the song - that you have options..... I feel like it feeds into the last song as a sort of thematic bridge but this song is just 'ok' for me. 

Ain't Shit 

This is fun - a friend once kept singing "bitches aint shit" in a shrill falsetto over and over on a video call once and that's now my main memory of this song. I think it's another vibe -this is the type of song that's a bit more aggressive, but I think its playful enough that is still makes for 'a chill listening'. 

Imagine 

I like this - this is another addition to the more easy listening, chill, almost trancey? type of space outerspace feeling. It's one of the songs that is super catchy but at this point, a lot of the songs feel like riffs of the same aesthetic, but different aspects of it. 

Alone 

I like this - the almost acoustic like quality with the more emotional themes from the music - and how the lyrics are actually understandable. I like the /giving me reasons to fly/pack up my shit and be wise/ section for sure. It has that sort of retrospective ballad/heartbreak/revenge? feeling - and I like that. 

Kiss me More (ft. SZA) 

This is an interesting end to the album - this jumps right back into the more fun, high energy vibes of Doja Cat - what people expect from her at least. This feels probably quite similar to Say So - in terms of the musical progression and just vibes in general. Sometimes some albums feel like they have a sort of, emotional journey or narrative that's threaded through the songs and the MVs, but this doesn't really strike me as the type of album which concludes on any note - it feels more like that last song to get everyone hyped up at a concert to end on a high. Good song tho. Catchy.