They rise." An AllMusic journalist praised "Ash" for being "many things: militant, vulnerable, and tender; it is urgent yet unhurried, its sharp edges unapologetically exposed. It is rooted in struggles and seeks victory, not deliverance. It is not only memorable, but indomitable and beautiful." "Drowned in Sound" applauded the LP for being "characterised by defiance: rather than wallowing, it soberly reflects; rather than crying it howls." He also praised it for having "a true sense of journey through its beginning, middle and end, an element often disregarded in an industry gluttonously obsessed with hit singles." Another common praise was "Ash"'s dynamic sound and style. "Houston Chronicle" writer Andrew Dansby called it his third favorite album of 2017, reasoning that it was "more striking and assertive in establishing a sonic identity that pulls from points near, far and further" than Ibeyi's first album. "Now" critic Chaka V. Grier called "Ash" a "dynamic experience", also claiming it "can only emerge from the souls and mouths of these two sisters, an organic extension of their lives, beliefs and traditions." However, she found it "preachy" and "heavy-handed" in a few moments. "Q" magazine also felt the record's themes were "glib" and "never quite strikes the right note." Critic Kitty Empire felt "Ash" was weaker than Ibeyi's self-titled record in that it sacrificed the Yoruba element of it for "just-so production", unoriginal political themes, and performances from guest musicians. "God is in the TV" panned the use of auto-tune of the album, reasoning that it "devalues the beauty of [the duo's] pure and humble personalities," "takes away their harmonic uniqueness and replaces it with a sound that threatens to blend in with chart-topping radio-friendly credentials." "The Times" also disliked the addition of more electronic processing in Ibeyi's style, reasoning that the album does not have "enough of the elegantly soulful Cuban lightness the twins evoked so well." In "The Village Voice"'s Pazz & Jop, an poll regarding the best albums of the year as voted by more than 400 American music critics, "Ash" tied with "Beach House 3" (2017) by Ty Dolla Sign at number 87, garnering 85 points.