Devotion by Jessie Ware

In an industry of singers defined by the music behind them, Jessie Ware can only be defined as the best voice of 2012.

Devotion is not composed of club bangers, but subtle, textural and groove-focused beats. They provide enough to keep the album fresh and forward-thinking, but never really remove the focus from Ware’s voice, words and melodies.

Devotion ... marries her natural gift with throbbing instrumentation that breathes life into every single turn of phrase or sensitive vocal embellishment.

Ware might still be feeling out her surroundings, but considering the results, getting to see that evolution take place is an exciting and exceedingly worthwhile prospect

there’s a youthful, warm energy emanating from Ware’s vocals that enervates Devotion, making it more than a mere exercise in restrained, sophisticated sexiness. 

She captures the emotion, without the shmaltz and in doing so, she neatly elevates her work above that of countless other mainstream pop singers.

Like all the great British pop records of the past five years, ‘Devotion’ combines the present and the past to make a record that sounds both contemporary and timeless.

Any quibbles are minor here though, for Devotion is a truly impressive debut album from yet another talented British singer.

Despite the occasional tendency to soar above when her songs could benefit from some earthiness, in the main Ware’s sheer, confident boldness carries the day.

Ware has the pipes to come out on top of a TV singing competition, but it’s her control, style, and musical choices that make Devotion so interesting.

Devotion is a forward-looking, soulful pop record. A definite classic pop star in the making.

Devotion isn’t what you’d necessarily expect from Jessie Ware, it’s not what you’d expect from pop music and it’s not really anything you’d expect from anyone in 2012.

A wonderful collection of dreamy soul pop. Jessie Ware is, I believe, at the front of a trend I expect to see developed in the coming years (along with others like Miguel, for example). This is not 2-dimensional pop music. There is depth and a degree of maturity. Given a few more years, Jessie Ware could end up presenting us a true classic.