For those of you unaware, Jessie Ware is an English singer-songwriter who got her start back in 2010 when she met and collaborated with British producer SBTRKT on tracks like “Nervous” and “Valentine”. These collaborations foreshadowed the forward-thinking sound of her excellent debut, Devotion (2012), which established Ware as a supremely talented vocalist and gifted songwriter. Now, Jessie’s returned with her sophomore LP, Tough Love, and if Devotion was a bold debut release, Tough Love is a confident, masterful proceeding achievement. Backed by superstar production duo BenZel (Benny Blanco and Two Inch Punch), Ware’s sublime voice fits the album’s melodies and instrumentals so perfectly as to sound inevitable. You’d expect this album from a seasoned artist, for example, but Jessie is still at the beginning of her career (relatively speaking), so cue our being impressed. Ware first partnered with the aforementioned BenZel back in 2012 on a slick, seductive cover of “If You Love Me”, originally by the R&B act Brownstone. A quick YouTube search yields several fan-uploaded videos of the artists performing two tracks together at the Bootleg Bar in LA in early 2013, and despite the low quality of the videos, it’s still extremely clear that Ware is both incredibly good live, and that these collaborations are exceptional. At first, BenZel might seem unfit for collaborative effort—the two producers make music with an unconventional, distinct sound that might overshadow an artist’s own voice. However, it turns out that BenZel and Ware have a lot in common sonically; BenZel's quirky production and Ware’s soulful voice both have a classic feel that surrounds Tough Love’s tracks in a golden, dreamy atmosphere. By teaming up on this album, they’ve created something truly special—tracks like “Champagne Kisses” and “Say You Love Me” are bulletproof hits, but you wouldn’t necessarily call them radio-ready pop songs. “Tough Love” and “You and I (Forever)” are characterized in this same way—they simply aren’t built for three-month rotation on the charts. Instead, all the efforts on Tough Love are decidedly Jessie’s own, and this personal touch makes this a record built to last. Besides BenZel's being largely responsible for the record’s unmistakable sound, Ware also worked with Miguel, Ed Sheeran, Dev Hynes, and Julio Bashmore, among others. Each artist has made their signature contribution (refer to Ed Sheeran’s powerful backing vocals on “Say You Love Me” and Miguel’s subtle cameos in “Kind of…Sometimes…Maybe”), and the results are truly spectacular. From the shimmering, easygoing grooves of “Want Your Feeling”, to the exquisite, silky backing vocals of “Keep on Lying”, Tough Love is a record that doesn’t need to fight for your attention. Rather, it effortlessly commands respect with a lovely, elegant tone that ties the album together and draws in the listener. Tough Love is an instant classic of an album that feels more like a piece of art than just another pop release, and, being beautifully hand-crafted and performed, it's the sort of album you’ll be listening to for years to come. Tough Love is available on UK iTunes now, but will hit US and Canada on October 21st (pre-order's are still on-going)
Jessie Ware