Going back like babies with pacifiers…
[Video]
[4.00]
Alfred Soto: I dig her vowels and gum-chewing languor, but that overused sample sits there, refusing to interact or undercut or even complement.
[4]
Nortey Dowuona: The dry drums clap in your eyes, making you blink as the bongos dribble in your peripheral. The bass and guitar lick in both your ears like an ear kebob, while Latto has been quietly collecting well-done high heels with your bank account.
[5]
Al Varela: Everything about this song is phony. It’s a sell-out move from Latto, who fares much better as a fierce, snarling rapper rather than this flimsy pop-rap garbage that recycles a well-known beat. There’s barely even any difference between this and the original. Practically serves as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card so the song sounds good without having to actually do any work. It doesn’t help that this essentially attempts to recapture the magic of “Say So,” complete with a phony producing credit from Dr. Luke as he continues his tyranny on rhythmic radio. Pure corporate garbage that doesn’t even have the common courtesy to try.
[2]
Thomas Inskeep: Latto gives big Megan Thee Stallion energy here, riding “Genius of Love” deftly and smartly.
[7]
Oliver Maier: My mind is telling me “using a sample that has already become iconic in another song builds up enormous expectations that Latto couldn’t seem to care less about, also it’s 2022 and nobody is still talking about big dick energy” but my body is telling me “haha!!! Whee!!!! Yes!! Tom Tom Club!! Mariah Carey!!!! Yahoooooooo!!! Big ol’ ass!!!!!” so it’s a tough call on this one.
[6]
Harlan Talib Ockey: Not sure how a person pitches “let’s sample ‘Genius of Love’ again,” especially “let’s barely change it from the original and use the same section everyone remembers from Mariah Carey,” but if it works, it works. Latto’s long had an immense talent for writing anthemic, infectious choruses, so this is just pure fun to listen to. It’s hard not to cheer along with the backing vocals when “on the count of three, bad bitches, get money” hits. In terms of straight quotability, Latto’s firing on all cylinders. “A boss like you need a boss like me” is probably the line popping up in Instagram captions, but I’m still partial to “pussy juicy, Minute Maid.” The sung post-chorus is the one element that feels truly off. The vocal processing is clearly intended to make it sound light and airy; the actual effect, however, is more “default GPS voice.” Still, it’s a solid addition to the “Genius of Love” canon and Tom Tom Club’s bank accounts. EDIT: Oh, I just knew neglecting to check the producer credit would come back to bite me. Rescinding all [7] of these points. Stop working with Dr. Luke.
[0]