Jessie Ware – Devotion

Text: Sherman Yang

There aren’t any attention-grabbing vocals or tracks that make you bob your head to but the entire album slowly grows on you. The soulful sound of Jessie Ware’s voice coupled with the soothing melodies calms and relaxes makes the UK singer’s latest release Devotion definitely worth the listen. Ware takes the slow-tempo more emotional singing route without any overstretched top-notes.

The track, ‘Wildest Moments’, was written for Ware’s best friend. The song is filled with emotion, drawing you in with her soulful voice. Definitely not a normal friendship judging from the lyrics, the song is emotionally charged and might be relatable to those who have long-standing friendships that have been filled with tribulations.

‘Night Light’ starts off with a beautiful yet haunting string instrumental with the drums and electronic sounds coming in, building up the atmosphere before Ware’s vocals kick in. Once again, she manages to bring life and emotion into the song.

The album is mainly enjoyable listening with one exception. A weird throw-off in the album is ‘110%’, which heads down the more electronic route comparatively. The odd use of a sample from Big Punisher’s ‘The Dream Silencer’ is creepy and disturbing (“Carvin' my initials on your forehead” is not something you really want to hear in a song).

Undoubtedly a talented soul singer and potentially the new Sade, Jessie Ware has the ability to draw you in to her music emotionally and mentally without using bombastic notes. A welcome fresh mix of electronic & soul music, Ware’s sounds might be a tad eclectic for some to enjoy.

Recommended tracks: Night Light, Wildest Moments