Jessie Ware

Having spent several weeks at number five in the UK album charts and received significant critical acclaim, including a Mercury Prize nomination, British singer Jessie Ware's debut is finally getting an official Canadian release. Ware (known for her vocal work with leading UK electronic producers such as SBTRKT and Joker) brings us an album that's the next logical step in bridging that already thin divide between UK bass, R&B and pop, following James Blake's crossover appeal and the wide-ranging influence of the post-dubstep scene. Over the course of 42 minutes and 11 gorgeous tracks, the songwriting and production, both utilising the skills of Dave Okumu (from the Invisible), are consistently on point. Devotion takes its lineage from the '80s pop of Sade, Whitney and Annie Lennox as much as from the UK bass scene. The album follows a seductive dynamic ― from the understated saunter of the opening title track through to the infectious, goose bump-inducing "Wildest Moments" and "110%," which demonstrates the UK bass influence the most. Sensual, artful and accessible, it is easily one of the best pop albums of the year, one that sees Jessie Ware move from being known as a guest vocalist to an artist in her own right.