Princess Nokia: i love you but this is goodbye review – a raw, quickfire breakup album

“I wrote you this album for my closure” is pretty on the nose as refrains on breakup records go – but Princess Nokia has never shied away from being heart-on-sleeve. In the decade or so of her career, the Puerto Rican, New York City rapper-singer (real name Destiny Frasqueri) has shapeshifted sonically many times over, flitting between everything from pared-down east coast MC inflections to melodic emo to boisterous, cartoonish pop. What has tied it all together is Frasqueri’s self-assurance, even while showing her vulnerability.

This latest EP is no different: described on her social media as “a 7 song love letter to myself”, this unguarded set runs the gamut of genres and feelings. There are sped-up, Auto-Tuned vocals that recall the early 00s, be that on the skittering pop-punk of Closure or the colourful electro-pop rave of Complicated. There’s the stunning, glossy melancholy of Lo Siento; the vicious rap of Angels & Demons; the warmth of Gorillaz-interpolating Happy. All threaded together with classic hip-hop-format voicemails of (presumably) her ex checking in while she ignores him, this uninhibited, borderline chaotic EP is testament to Frasqueri’s talent, ambition and willingness to share the quickfire rawness of her emotion.