A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons

A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
Studio album by
Little Simz
Released18 September 2015
StudioRed Bull Studios (London)[1]
GenreHip-hop[2]
Length34:57
LabelAge 101 Music
Little Simz chronology
Time Capsule
(2014) 		A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
(2015) 		Stillness in Wonderland
(2016)
Singles from A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
  1. "Wings"
    Released: 12 August 2015
  2. "Dead Body"
    Released: 17 August 2015

A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons is the debut studio album by English rapper Little Simz, released on 18 September 2015 through Age 101 Music. The album won Independent Album of the Year at the 2016 AIM Independent Music Awards.[3]

Release

On 12 August 2015, Little Simz announced the album and released the single "Wings".[4] The album's second single, "Dead Body", was released on 17 August 2015, alongside a music video.[5] On 23 September 2015, she released a remix to "Dead Body", titled "Dead Body Part 2+3" featuring Stormzy and Kano.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.3/10[7]
Metacritic80/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
The 4058.5/10[9]
The Guardian[10]
HipHopDX4/5[2]
Mixmag9/10[11]
Pitchfork7.8/10[1]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from 6 critic scores.[8]

Jesse Fairfax of HipHopDX commended the album for its innovation, stating: "Where most newer Hip Hop artists play it safe until they build enough of an audience, Little Simz pushes the envelope giving her all to a scene that may not know what to make of her. Taking the initiative to claim herself a leader, she makes a powerful statement for womanhood in a genre often closed to anything short of objectification."[2] Pitchfork's Jia Tolentino argues that the album's independent release kept it more authentic, stating: "she's keeping her talent under her own strict control, which means, by one calculus, curbing it. Instead of an album spiked with a big banging single, she offers a looping, obsessively focused experience, with her words providing structure and the pulsing orchestral instrumentation coming second."[1] Writing for The 405, Samantha O'Connor concludes, writing "A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons is the most multifaceted and masterful contemporary feminist rap album of recent memory."[9]

Accolades

Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
The 405 The 30 Best Albums of 2015 5 [12]
Clash Albums Of The Year 2015 21 [13]
The Line of Best Fit The Fifty Best Albums of 2015 N/a [14]
Loud And Quiet Top 40 Albums Of 2015 30 [15]
Noisey The 50 Best Albums of 2015 23 [16]
Time Out The 50 best albums of 2015 38 [17]

Awards

Awards and nominations for A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
Ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
AIM Independent Music Awards 2016 Independent Album of the Year Won
[3]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Persons"2:04
2."Wings"4:06
3."The Lights"4:00
4."Tainted"4:01
5."Gratitude" (featuring The Hics)3:37
6."God Bless Mary"4:16
7."Dead Body"3:52
8."Full or Empty"4:24
9."This Is Not An Outro"2:41
10."Fallen"1:53
Total length:34:57

Charts

Chart performance for A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
Chart (2015) Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[18] 100
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[19] 43
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[20] 20

References

  1. ^ a b c Tolentino, Jia (30 September 2015). "Little Simz: A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Fairfax, Jesse (25 September 2015). "Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Christine & the Queens, Stormzy and Daughter win AIM Awards 2016". DIY. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  4. ^ Black, Adrienne (12 August 2015). "Little Simz Announces Debut Album Title, Shares "Wings"". Complex. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. ^ "New Music Friday: This week's essential new projects". The Fader. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  6. ^ Gardner, Constant (23 September 2015). "Little Simz Drops "Dead Body Part 2+3" Featuring Stormzy and Kano". Complex. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  7. ^ "A Curious Tale of Trials & Persons by Little Simz album reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Reviews for A Curious Tale of Trials & Persons by Little Simz". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b O'Connor, Samantha (16 September 2015). "Little Simz – A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons". The 405. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  10. ^ MacInnes, Paul (17 September 2015). "Little Simz: A Curious Tale of Trials and Persons review – London MC finding her voice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  11. ^ Turner, Dave (11 September 2015). "Reviews Little Simz 'A Curious Tale Of Trials + Persons' (Age 101 Music)". Mixmag. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  12. ^ "The 30 Best Albums of 2015". The 405. 7 December 2015. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  13. ^ "Clash Albums Of The Year 2015". Clash Magazine. 16 December 2015. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  14. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". The Line of Best Fit. 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Top 40 Albums Of 2015". Loud And Quiet. December 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  16. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Noisey. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  17. ^ "The 50 best albums of 2015". Time Out Worldwide. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 25/9/2015 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 25/9/2015 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart on 25/9/2015 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
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