Ariana Grande’s sixth album Positions is, in a word, horny. Announced on Twitter two weeks prior to its release, the record is Grande’s most explicit one yet. Infused with smooth R&B and catchy trap beats, Positions is a lighthearted romp through Grande’s libido: it’s simultaneously a return to form and a new progression for the singer after her emotionally-charged 2019 album thank u, next. Whether you want to get down and dirty or just dance along, Positions offers a little something for everyone. With a 41 minute run-time across 14 songs, let’s break the album down track by track.

1. “shut up”

As the first track on Positions, “shut up” is an over-the-top parody of Grande’s previous openers. Like Sweetener’s “raindrops (an angel cried)” and thank u, next’s “imagine,” “shut up” is an ethereal display of Grande’s vocals. But while “raindrops” is angelic and “imagine” is yearning, “shut up” is fun. With a full string orchestra backing her vocals, Grande tells off her haters to focus on themselves: “You know you sound so dumb / So maybe you should shut up.” The song’s clashing lyrics and style set the tone perfectly for the silly fun in many upcoming tracks.

2. “34+35”

While the mathematical title isn’t exactly subtle, neither is the song. Grande just goes for it with the lyrics. With lines like “If I put it quite plainly / Just gimme them babies” and “Can you stay up all night? / F—k me ‘til the daylight,” there’s really no mystery: Ariana Grande really wants to bang. “34+35” is one of the standout tracks from Positions, with an infectious hook and danceable beat that will make you listen on repeat.

3. “motive” (with Doja Cat)

I love Doja Cat almost as much as I love Ariana Grande, so it makes me sad to admit that “motive” falls a bit flat. The song is catchy but fails to stand out with its vague lyrics and a more instrumental-heavy chorus. Doja Cat’s rap verse and adlibs fail to add much to the song, culminating in a forgettable and lackluster collaboration that sounds more like a Sweetener reject than anything else.

4. “just like magic”

All about the power of manifestation, “just like magic” is a bit of a slower, R&B-influenced track after “34+35” and “motive”. Grande’s background vocals steal the spotlight toward the end of the song, but like many of the songs on Positions, the short runtime of “just like magic” makes it fly by in what feels like a flash. Also, Grande’s enunciation of some of the lyrics could use some improvement. She actually sings “middle finger to my thumb” in the chorus, but it’s way too easy to hear “middle finger to my bum” and start laughing like a middle schooler.

5. “off the table” (with The Weeknd)

As one of the more romantic songs on Positions, “off the table” is a beautiful duet between Grande and guest vocalist The Weeknd. Punching in at four minutes even, the song is a slow love song. Each singer takes a verse before coming together for the final chorus, a duetted call-and-response that culminates with The Weeknd promising to wait for as long as Ariana needs to heal.

6. “six thirty”

After an intense ballad, “six thirty” takes a slowed-down, relaxed tone. Comparing herself to a clock. Grande sings that she’s “Down like six thirty” for love, asking her boy whether or not he is too. The trap drum gives the song a more modern feel alongside a 90s-influenced production.

7. “safety net” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

Despite rapper Ty Dolla $ign’s feature, “safety net” follows a similar path to “motive.” It’s not horrible, but the darker tone doesn’t necessarily fit amongst the other songs on Positions. Ty’s verse works well with the backing beats, and his vocals harmonize nicely with Grande’s, but ultimately “safety net” left me hanging.

8. “my hair”

With heavier 90s inspiration, “my hair” sounds like a deep cut off an early Mariah Carey album. Ariana Grande slows down again, asking her new lover to “run [his] hands through my hair.” With impressive whistle tones to mark its exit, “my hair” makes its point convincingly without overstaying its welcome.

9. “nasty”

After a long break, the horny is BACK! Ariana is tired of giving her partner space and wants to make moves this very night. With lines such as “Like this p*ssy designed for you” and… well, that’s basically it, her desperation bleeds through the subtext between the romantic overtones. Once again, the song’s R&B influence is warded off by the trap beat, giving it a more modern flare.

10. “west side”

At a whopping 2:12, “west side” takes the title of Positions’s shortest track. While it’s nice enough, “west side” is ultimately a bit of a disappointment. As the shortest entry, it fails to make much of a mark before you’ve moved on, and it honestly could have been cut without losing much substance from the album. It’s an R&B-inspired song about Ariana Grande’s new lover with a vague, shallow allusion to West Side Story that utterly fails to stand out.

11. “love language”

Breaking from the Positions tradition, “love language” is almost 80s inspired with its backing beat and speed. After several slower songs, it’s a nice pick-me-up, but like its predecessor, “love language” mostly fails to stand out this deep within the album. The unique outro recaptures your attention just long enough for you to wonder which song you’re listening to before it’s gone.

12. “positions”

Ah, the title track. Released a week before the album at large with an accompanying music video, “positions” is easily the most well-known track. With a catchy hook and engaging backing guitar, “positions” is an earworm standout amongst its peers.

13. “obvious”

Coming off the momentum of “positions,” “obvious” transitions the sexual tones into danceably romantic ones. In response to her partner’s playfulness, Ariana responds with the complete opposite: “No shit, got me right where you want me, baby / Could I be more obvious?” It’s a final catchy hook before the hard-hitting closer.

14. “pov”

The closing track for Positions, “pov” is easily Grande’s most romantic song to date. With soft orchestral strings in the background, Grande’s vulnerability shines through with lines such as “I wanna love me / The way that you love me / Oh, for all of my pretty and all of my ugly, too / I’d love to see me from your point of view.” The song is a tender climax to the sometimes-scandalous album, emphasizing its — and Grande’s — romantic side.

Is Positions an innovative career step for Ariana Grande? Not particularly. Is it an enjoyable dive into the feelings of new love through a trap-inspired, R&B lens? For sure. Some of the tracks can drone on, even the shorter ones, and many of what some might consider “deep cuts” seemingly blend together because of an overwhelming cohesiveness. Even if you just listen to “34+35” eleven times before the final three tracks, I really think you should give it a shot. Positions doesn’t try to be more than a love letter… okay, a really horny love letter, but it also doesn’t overachieve or overstay its welcome. For 90s R&B fans, Arianators, or anyone who watched the “positions” music video and was mildly interested, I definitely recommend that you give a listen or two to Positions.

*Article thumbnail: this photo of Ariana Grande at the 2020 Grammys taken by Cosmopolitan UK is licensed under CC BY 3.0