Just in Time to End Spring on a High Note: Superbloom - Jessie Ware

Right off the bat you get a sense that this album represents a different aspect of the alternative pop space. The transition from 'The Garden Prelude' into 'I Could Get Used To This' showcasses the immense production power behind this LP including James Ford, Karma Kid, Barney Lister, Stuart Price, and Jon Shave to name a few.

Spacious and scattered as much as it is punchy and groovy, there are a wide range of styles represented here, but most of the time these tracks occupy the broader disco/dance genre. 'Don't You Know Who I Am?' being the most accurate inhibatitant of the 70s dance floor era many moments in this project attempt to recreate. This track is also a great example of the frequent introduction of B and sometimes C sections that are equally catchy if not more than the main melodies and hooks. "You're Gonna Miss Me In The Morning When I'm Not Inside Your Bed..." and so on, caught me off guard with just how much it switches up the vocal style and the amount it adds to the song, when arguably most bridge sections in pop are simply an excuse to play the chorus one more time afterward.

In a vocal stim intro that feels almost too similer to the "wows" in Sister Sledge's 'He's The Greatest Dancer', the title track 'Superbloom' starts off and eases you into the equally danceable but more soul-filled and lad back pocket groove. As the orchestra swells beyond the chorus and the vocals whisper on, you can't help but be transported into this world of elegance and class, an oasis of growth both personal and floral (as is heavily depicted in both art and lyrics) and seclusion from the rest of life.

This is a fully realized album with interludes and preludes to spare, as well as the inclusion of moments such as the intro to 'Automatic'. Spoken segments that offer a break from the nonstop headbopping, as if the DJ at the wedding is offering directions for the most efficient way to form a cake line.

There are weaker moments naturally, such as 'Sauna'. Hearing this on the radio this week I didn't realize it was part of the same project. The production is equally amazing, and it would have its place in any pop album, except one as exceptionally great as this one. As much as Kacey Musgraves' 'Dry Spell', this track comes across as a writing session outtake that should have remained that way.

This short-term is easily forgiven when the next track comes around and showcases a rather brilliant form of half-spoken half-sung lyricism. 'Mr. Valentine' reminds me a lot of the quirky gang vocals of 2010s indie dance music, which is also what the beat seeks to immitate. The whispy seductive vocalization of the many quoted and spoken segments makes for a song that feels impressive to witness for the first time.

A major win for this album is that, in moments where they could have cut corners (both in time and money), they went the extra mile and made sure there weren't any songs that stood out as too simplistic. 'Love You For' could have easily been a slowed-down ballad only comprising vocals and piano, and yet it is here on the album as a song as fleshed out as the rest of them. Many fans may want a wide array of songs, spanning across hundreds of moods and settings. But when the pacing is this good, I believe having such a succinct collection of tracks that capture a particular vibe is immensely valuable. Described by Ware herself as a bouquet rather than any one particular flower, I'm sure there must have been the desire for a project that spanned more than just pop-dance music, but what she gave us is incredible, no matter the desired outcome.

Even the songs that are piano ballads, such as '16 Summers', feature some interest in the form of ambiance and other ear candy. Even at its weakest moments, this is a very strong and envisioned album; tracks on this project have to stand up to some of the best-produced pop this year, so it's tough for every track to be a standout.

Give this album a listen because no matter how much I gush about it, it will still blow you away! Thanks for reading.