Iconology

Hip-hop and R&B superpower Missy Elliotts thumbprint became ingrained on the sound of everything that followed her streak of victorious solo records in the late 90s and early aughts. Though Elliott never stopped working as a producer, her last solo album before this brief EP was 2005s The Cookbook. Fourteen years is a long time for fans to subsist on the occasional one-off single or odd track every few years, and the five-track ICONOLOGY doesnt do much to sate those looking for a new statement from this legendary force. What the EP does provide is a brief and somewhat awkward sampling of various genre exercises, all fun and lively but nowhere near the excellence of Elliotts best. Opening with two skeletal rap tracks, Throw It Back and Cool Off, Elliott adapts her flows and production to more recent trends while recounting some of her past glories. On the warm and funky DripDemeanor, the atmosphere opens up with a more organic instrumentation and guest vocals from Sum1. This song and the doo wop send-off Why I Still Love You feature production from longtime Elliott collaborator Timbaland, and only these tracks recall the vivid colors and openness of Elliotts earlier work. The EP ends with an a capella mix of Why I Still Love You, exposing some of the tunes hidden subtleties but leaving off with an unfinished feel. ICONOLOGY is a good placeholder while fans wait for the next chapter of Elliotts brilliance, but overall seems truncated and undercooked. ~ Fred Thomas