Access All Areas (Flo album)

Last updated

Access All Areas
Flo - Access All Areas.png
Studio album by
Flo
Released15 November 2024 (2024-11-15)
Genre R&B
Length46:55
Label Island
Producer
Flo chronology
3 of Us
(2023)
Access All Areas
(2024)
Singles from Access All Areas
  1. "Walk Like This"
    Released: 8 March 2024
  2. "Caught Up"
    Released: 24 May 2024
  3. "Check"
    Released: 2 August 2024
  4. "In My Bag"
    Released: 15 November 2024

Access All Areas (also abbreviated as AAA) is the debut studio album by English girl group Flo. It was released on 15 November 2024 through Island Records. [1] It marks their first full-length project after releasing their previous extended plays, The Lead (2022) and 3 of Us (2023). The standard version of the album features guest vocals from Cynthia Erivo and GloRilla, while the Unlocked version includes guest vocals from Chlöe, Halle, Kehlani and Bree Runway.

Contents

Upon its release, Access All Areas received generally positive reviews from critics. The album was preceded by three singles—"Walk Like This", "Caught Up", and "Check"—and two promotional singles, while a fourth single, "In My Bag", coincided with the release. It is a contemporary R&B album featuring production and songwriting from MNEK and notable contributions from Camper, Jay Versace, Pop Wansel, Sevyn Streeter, and more.

Background

On 3 July 2023, Flo surprise announced their second EP, 3 of Us as a "gift" to their fans for patiently waiting for new music. [2] [3] Before releasing the singles "Walk Like This" and "Caught Up" for the debut project, the group was announced as an opening act for singer Kehlani's Crash World Tour for the fall. [4]

Prior to the announcement of Access All Areas, the group described the album as a continuation of the legacy of girl groups:

Access All Areas is a labour of love. To us it represents our growth and dedication to making girl group history, to making a project we are truly proud to call our debut album.

Flo about the album, [5]

Release and promotion

The album's first single, "Walk Like This" was released on 8 March 2024 after being previewed on TikTok weeks back, and the accompanying music video released a week later. [6] [7] The single was Flo's first single since "Fly Girl" with rapper Missy Elliott in 2023. [8] The group, then, revealed there would be at least 17 songs on the album after posting a picture of an unconfirmed tracklist on a drawing board on social media.[ citation needed ] On 24 May 2024, Flo released the second single for the album, "Caught Up", along with the visualizer. [9] [10]

On 2 August 2024, Flo released the third single for the album, "Check". [11] [12] After officially announcing the album's title, artwork, and release date on the same month, the group released pre-orders for vinyl, CDs, and exclusive bundles that include an autographed ticket, and three bonus tracks.[ citation needed ] The group released two promotional songs, "Bending My Rules", which they performed live for Vevo Studios, [13] [14] and the album's title track, "AAA". [15]

On 1 November 2024, Flo announced the Access All Areas Tour, which will visit Europe and the United Kingdom. [16] On 7 November 2024, Flo partnered with AMC Theatres to give their fans an early listen to the album in select theatres in the United States.[ citation needed ] On 10 November 2024, Flo revealed the official tracklist of the album, revealing collaborations with Cynthia Erivo and rapper GloRilla. [17]

Three days after the album's initial release, Flo hinted at "unlocking" features, and released a deluxe edition titled Access All Areas: Unlocked featuring remixes and extended versions with collaborations from Chlöe, Halle, Dixson, Kehlani, and Bree Runway. [18] The group, alongside Chlöe and Halle all hinted a collaboration before the album's release.[ citation needed ]

Commercial performance

Access All Areas spent one week on the UK Albums Chart at number three, selling 9,500[ citation needed ] album-equivalent units in its first week and becoming highest-charting album by a British R&B girl group in 23 years. [19] It also reached number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart and number ten on the Scottish Albums Chart. [20]

In the United States, Access All Areas became Flo's first project to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting at number 163. [21] Additionally, the album reached number 127 on the Belgian Flanders album chart and number 182 on the French albums chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.7/10 [22]
Metacritic 68/100 [23]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash 7/10 [24]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [25]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [26]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [27]
The Line of Best Fit 7/10 [28]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [29]
Pitchfork 8/10 [30]
The Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [31]
The Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [32]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Access All Areas received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 from 9 critic scores. [23]

Track listing

Access All Areas – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro" (featuring Cynthia Erivo)
2:40
2."AAA"
3:24
3."In My Bag" (featuring GloRilla)
3:08
4."Walk Like This"
3:17
5."How Does It Feel?"
  • Douglas
  • Downer
  • Quaresma
  • Emenike
  • William Hood
  • Jared Krumm
  • Daniel Muñoz
  • Sean Small
  • Sam Sumser
  • Chris Taylor
  • Theron Thomas
  • IQ
  • Luc Bernadel
  • Sumser
  • Small
  • Thomas
  • MNEK [a] [v]
3:08
6."Soft"
2:10
7."Check"
  • Styalz Fuego
  • Sandapa
  • MNEK [p]
  • Ashley [v]
2:45
8."On & On"
  • Matej Djajkovski
  • Fabien Herfray
  • Dante Jones
  • Yuval Haim Chain
  • Kabba
3:21
9."Bending My Rules"
  • Camper
  • Dixson
  • Camper
  • MNEK [p]
3:44
10."Trustworthy (Interlude)"
1:36
11."Caught Up"
3:50
12."IWH2BMX"
  • Douglas
  • Downer
  • Quaresma
  • Gabriel Davies
  • Emenike
  • Cole Ostrin
  • Riley
  • Jamal Woon
  • Cole YoursTruly
  • Davies
  • Woon
  • MNEK [a] [v]
  • Skippz [a]
2:43
13."Nocturnal"
  • Ashley
  • Emenike
  • Jakob Rabitsch
  • Riley
2:03
14."Shoulda Woulda Coulda"
  • Douglas
  • Downer
  • Quaresma
  • Mike Brainchild
  • Emenike
  • Lauren Keen
3:46
15."Get It Till I'm Gone"
  • Douglas
  • Downer
  • Quaresma
  • Emenike
  • Kabba
  • Ostrin
  • Rogers-Bedminster
  • Skippz
  • Woon
3:00
16."I'm Just a Girl"
  • Douglas
  • Downer
  • Quaresma
  • Rashaan Brown
  • Emenike
  • Keen
  • Skippz
  • Woon
2:20
Total length:46:55
Access All Areas – Jorja CD bonus track [33]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Do Too Much"
3:20
Access All Areas – Renée CD bonus track [34]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Conceited"
  • Jean-Marie
  • MNEK [v]
2:34
Access All Areas – Stella CD bonus track [35]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Say Less"
  • James Anderson
  • Joe Gosling
  • Riley
  • Hotston
  • RELYT
  • Joe Gosling
3:03
Access All Areas: Unlocked disc 2 – digital release
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Soft" (Unlocked; featuring Chlöe and Halle)
3:10
2."Bending My Rules" (Unlocked; featuring Dixson)
  • Camper
  • Dixson
  • Camper
  • MNEK [p]
4:47
3."IWH2BMX" (Unlocked; featuring Kehlani)
  • Cole YoursTruly
  • Davies
  • Woon
  • MNEK [a] [v]
  • Skippz [a]
2:45
4."Nocturnal" (Unlocked; featuring Bree Runway)
2:37
5."Bending My Rules" (Vevo Live)
  • Camper
  • Dixson
  • Camper
  • MNEK [p]
3:50

Notes

Personnel

Flo

Additional musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Access All Areas
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [38] 127
French Albums (SNEP) [39] 182
Portugal Streaming Albums (AFP) [40] 182
Scottish Albums (OCC) [41] 10
UK Albums (OCC) [42] 3
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [43] 1
US Billboard 200 [44] 163

Release history

Release dates and formats for Access All Areas
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
Various15 November 2024 Island [45]

See also

Notes

  1. Wired Strings consists of: cellist Rosie Danvers; violists Emma Owens and Jordan Bergmans; and violinists Jenny Sacha, Kerenza Peacock, Natalia Bonner, Patrick Kiernan, and Steve Morris.

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References

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  10. Damara Kelly, Tyler (27 May 2024). "FLO return with new single, "Caught Up"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  11. Taylor, Sam (2 August 2024). "FLO have released their new "lover girl anthem" 'Check' ahead of supporting on Kehlani's Crash tour". Dork. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
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  14. Murray, Robin (30 August 2024). "FLO Shine With New Single 'Bending My Rules'". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
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  17. "FLO Unlocks 'Access All Areas' Tracklist & Shares 'AAA' Video". SoulBounce. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
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  45. Access All Areas release formats: