And now you, like me, have the Annie Lennox song stuck in your head…
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[5.71]
Anjy Ou: If you’re looking for something not much different from what you’re used to re: rap sung collabos in 2017, this is your song. French Montana is unnecessary as usual, so it’s mostly Era Istrefi leaning way into previous Rihanna comparisons but with less inspired lyrics and a run-of-the-mill vocal performance. She has impeccable taste in music though – the uncluttered production with the plunky bass and light touches of steel drums is the best thing about this. Though not enough to not make me wish Kehlani had it instead.
[5]
Will Adams: “No I Love Yous” somehow has the same meandering qualities as the breakout hit “Bonbon” despite being a far more structured song on paper. The nimble bass is the only feature holding everything together, as Istrefi continues to replicate instead of interpret Rihanna’s tones and French Montana contributes little.
[5]
Ashley John: Genuinely admire French Montana’s humility as he continues to wander into songs and be outshined. Era Istrefi’s confidence is admirably self-sufficient and punchy. In a similar vein to Mabel’s “Finders Keepers,” Istrefi takes exactly as much as she wants and politely requests nothing in return.
[6]
Alfred Soto: Misreading the title and thinking the Albanian singer and the rapper were covering Annie Lennox covering The Lover Speaks, I sullenly listened, but the song is still a familiar, anonymous, rather depressing trudge through the path of contemporary pop. No one risks feeling because feeling is expensive.
[2]
Ramzi Awn: There’s no denying how catchy “No I Love Yous” is. Unrelenting and harmonic, the duo makes no mistakes in delivering a heavy-hitting single worth a double-take.
[8]
Edward Okulicz: A bassline that won’t quit goes a long way to mitigating the presence of French Montana, who really ought to. Era lays herself so thick on the track that until the chorus I just assumed she was still performing in Albanian.
[7]
Iain Mew: The key to “No I Love Yous” working is just how relentless it is, its ever-turning wheel of commands keeping it rolling on, lonely synth pings and feelings crushed below. The weakest bit is French Montana’s verse because it’s the closest to letting some space in, without making anything of it.
[7]