Souled Out is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko. It was released on September 9, 2014, by ArtClub International, ARTium Recordings, and Def Jam Recordings. After leaving Epic Records in 2003, Aiko took a hiatus from her music career and returned in 2011, with the release of her debut mixtape Sailing Soul(s). After raising her profile with the mixtape, Aiko met with record producer No I.D., and subsequently secured a recording contract with his newly found record label imprint, ARTium. Following her record deal, Aiko immediately began working on the album; during the recording process, Aiko released her debut EP Sail Out (2013), to bridge the gap between her mixtape and the album.

Souled Out is an alternative R&B album with a diverse musical style that incorporates psychedelic music, R&B, neo soul, hip hop, and elements of electronica. Its songs are loosely structured and feature electronic guitar sounds, synths, drums and atmospheric noises. A concept album, Souled Out features the evolution of a woman's heartbreak before becoming enlightened, the album features lyrics that revolve around relationships, life lessons, philosophies and truths. Aiko served as the album's executive producer and wrote the album's lyrics; she contracted four key producers to contribute with production and help create a cohesive sound.

An anticipated release, Souled Out was released to be a commercial and critical success. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 70,000 copies, doubling the first week sales of her debut EP; the album also debuted at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who commended its production, lyrics and themes and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2014 by several publications. The album spawned three singles—"To Love & Die", "The Pressure", and "Spotless Mind".

Background In 2003, Aiko released a video for her debut single "NO L.O.V.E", when she was 15 years old. Aiko was set to release her debut album, then-titled My Name Is Jhené, however the album was never released due to tension at the record label Epic, which ultimately led to Aiko asking to be released from the label. She then began to focus on school and continue her education. Following the birth of her daughter, Aiko began to make her return to music in 2008 and began meeting with labels. In 2011, she released her debut mixtape Sailing Soul(s), which was received well by critics and was certified Gold by mixtape-sharing website DatPiff, for downloads of 100,000. In 2012, Aiko met with No I.D., record producer and vice president of A&R at Def Jam, who ended up signing Aiko to his ARTium Recordings imprint through Def Jam, Aiko revealed that she has signed to Def Jam via her official Twitter account. Following Aiko's signing to the label she released her debut extended play Sail Out (2013). The EP was met with positive reviews from critics and debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 34,000 copies in the United States.

Writing and recording Aiko stated that she was working on the album every day either recording or writing, but is taking her time as she doesn't want "to put out some nonsense". During the album's recording Aiko set up workshops in which she and the producers would talk about the songs in order to create a cohesive sound and the belief that the music is "from one artist and this culmination of minds that share the same vision". In April 2014, Aiko began recording her interviews in order to put something together to show her fan base the process of the album and "the work that went into it, and little random things". During the recording process of the album Aiko would write under the influence of cannabis in order to use the feeling as inspiration, and then record the song when she was sober, unlike her debut mixtape which she wrote and recorded under the influence.

During the recording of the album Aiko opted to freestyle when writing the album, she would have a beat or would sit with producers and she would sing a melody until she had words, she described the process as not having a lot wrote down and any writing that was done, was done to make sure the songs made sense. On average Aiko was writing and recording four songs a month and in February she stated she was going to write and record at least ten more songs; she also said she had enough material for an album but would continue to record. Aiko did a large proportion of studio sessions with her daughter in which Aiko would record and sing directly at her daughter, as well as writing verses about her late brother.

Aiko described "Spotless Mind" as being the easiest song to write; the song was written while Aiko was touring with Lauryn Hill and Nas in 45 minutes using GarageBand. Aiko also revealed that "Eternal Sunshine" and "Spotless Mind" titles were inspired by the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. During the recording of the album Aiko released her debut extended play using some of the material she has intended for her debut. In June 2014, Aiko revealed that only Cocaine 80s and her daughter Namiko would feature on the album. During an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Aiko revealed the recording process for "Promise" and having her daughter as a guest feature: "I practice my songs in the car, and she's usually in the back seat, so she knows them", continuing to say, "I brought her in the studio and said, 'Remember that song we've been singing?' and recorded the song from there".

Aiko revealed that she had been sent many songs for her debut, saying, "I've been getting so many tracks lately and I'm not used to that. I'm used to just having a handful to work with but now that the label (Def Jam) is involved, they're sending me so much great stuff and I've just been writing and writing and writing!" In 2014, Aiko revealed she worked with No I.D., Key Wane, Fisticuffs and Dot da Genius and stated she would only be working with them so the sound was cohesive; she also revealed that her and the producers were working together in order to "make sure each song goes well with the other". During the album's production Aiko embarked on creating a more "intricate" sound with the use of live instruments. In November 2013, during an interview with Vice, Aiko stated that the album's production was done and all that was needed was finished touches and mixing; she also revealed that she would still continue to record new material.

Music

An alternative R&B album, Souled Out explores a variety of genres including psychedelic music, classic R&B and hip hop. Described by Erin Lowers from XXL, Souled Out is an alternative R&B album, described as being created with the use of heavily used synthesizers and "wooly drum loops". Lowers said the album's genre is caught in a "revolutionized limbo". The album's songs blend the neo soul, hip hop and electronica genres into downbeat, loosely structured soundscapes according to Julia Leconte of Now. Siyabonga Dube of News24 described Souled Out as being a combination of "diverse" sounds and genres, noting the incorporation of hip hop, R&B, alternative, and elements of electronic, describing the album's genre as being a "new age of music". Bradley Stern of Time compared the album's musical style to the work of Sade, calling the album's genre "future R&B"; Stern also compared Souled Out to the work of The Weeknd, Tinashe and FKA Twigs.

The album's production has been characterized as being expansive, endearing, and enigmatic. Troy L. Smith of The Plain Dealer called the album's production one of the "strongest points", noting the album's electronic guitar sounds, synths, drums and atmospheric noises. Lowers described the album's production as being "silky psychedelic", channeling spaced out melodies and hypnotic synths. Stern noted the album's production as having stretches of instrumentation that contain slow-burning and "honey-soaked" melodies, flowing from start to finish, comparative to a "modern meditative chant". According to Rick Florino of Artistdirect, Aiko sings with a soulful delivery and raw emotionality throughout the album. Aiko's vocals were described as fusing "perfectly" with the album's production, in which they float over the album's beats creating a "luminous aura". Other critics compared Aiko's vocals to that of Aaliyah's noting a similar falsetto and Aiko's ability to "convey a sultry innocence" with her voice. Dana Moran of RedEye described Aiko's voice as "velvety", continuing to call her vocals "husky and sleek, guarded and seductive". Andy Kellman of AllMusic described Aiko's vocals as being seductive, noting Aiko's wistful tones on songs like "Eternal Sunshine" and "Spotless Mind", as well as her injections of sharp and contrasting "melodrama" on "To Love & Die" with only minor variations in her tone.

Lyrics Souled Out is a concept album that goes through an evolution, something Aiko described as a "path". The album tells the story of a woman going through heartbreak, confusion, and being in a dark place before becoming enlightened and growing. Aiko stated the album's lyrical content revolves around relationships, life lessons, philosophies and truths. The album also touches upon vulnerable insights of Aiko's personal life such as her fears as a single parent and the death of her brother Miyagi. In an in-depth review of the album's lyrics Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe wrote;

Brad Wete of Billboard called the album's lyrical style sharp and noted its wordplay; Wete also described the album as "insular" with lyrics containing "cuts" that "run deep, searing with spite and indifference", continuing to note the album's themes as revolving around love interests, inward thinking and "chronicling her wearisome romantic history". Erin Lowers from XXL noted relationships, dreams, and aspirations as the three main concepts layered throughout the album. Bradley Stern from Time, called the album's lyrical content "occasionally snappy", which he described as keeping the otherwise "gentle pulsations" of the album feeling "fresh" and "employing expressions".

Songs The album opens with "Limbo Limbo Limbo", built over "twinkling keys and tumbling drums"; the song's lyrics revolve around a man who "has got too big for his britches." "W.A.Y.S." is an acronym for Aiko's late brother's Miyagi's favorite saying, "Why Aren't You Smiling?". "W.A.Y.S." is built over crashing sounds over a hip hop production and contains underlying string instruments and echoed drumbeats, with lyrics that speak about Aiko having a "bright future" and for her to shake "off negative thoughts." "To Love & Die" is a contemporary R&B song with an "atmospheric" and "sparse" production and R&B "textures." Built over a "dark and melodic" production that contains "tripping drum loops and hypnotic, spacey synthesisers," the song also interpolates American rapper 50 Cent's 2003 cult classic song "Many Men (Wish Death)". Lyrically the song revolves around love and affection. "Spotless Mind" is a "smooth" track built over a "chill beat" and contains an "island vibe". The song is predominately an R&B track that is backed by a "funky bass, gentle rhythm and acoustic guitars" inspired by soft rock. Lyrically Aiko wanders into a reverie, in which she discusses different love and mental rest stops that she's visited.