When we first encountered U.K. trio FLO on their debut single “Cardboard Box” in 2022, they were singing circles around an unfaithful man while packing his things to kick him to the curb. The record channeled Nineties R&B with scholar-like expertise and established them as an indisputable one-to-watch. On their debut album All Access Areas, FLO make an airtight case for their position in the pantheon of great girl groups. Their perpetual growth is evident in the vocal prowess present across the 16-track record. It’s also woven throughout their self-assured dismissal of the idea that they should ever settle for less in the dating game. This evolved version of FLO wouldn’t put your shit in a cardboard box. They’d toss it straight into the trash.
In their defense, All Access Areas issues plenty of fair warnings. FLO test out their inner lie detector through lush melodies on “Caught Up.” The smooth, orchestral highlight “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” is a cautionary tale about fumbling a girl you’ll never get a second chance with. On “IWH2BMX,” they’re to be the ones who got away, or the ones who dodged a bullet. Their confidence is infectious on standouts “How Does It Feel?” and “In My Bag,” boosted by a vibrant feature from GloRilla. The harmonies wrapped around the Memphis rapper’s verse are a symbolic “Yeah, Glo!” from true girl’s girls. It’s a role they take seriously, as proven on the dreamy pop cut “Check.”
At times, the record stumbles over its ambition to lean into the classic R&B playbook while remaining experimental, like on the rock-inspired outlier “Just A Girl,” across a lengthy track list. All Access Areas thrives when Jorja, Stella, and Renée highlight their individual personalities as vocalists without disrupting their collective chemistry. Finding that synergy is the hardest part of perfecting a girl group and they’ve nailed it. FLO are the most in sync they’ve ever been on “On & On,” the sultry deep cut with R&B classic potential. It effortlessly clears the high bar set by back-to-back album openers “Intro” and “AAA.” The mastery of these performances makes you wish the whole album was as concise as their harmonies.
