Review Summary: What a party that was, thank you for coming and please get home safe.
Superbloom is the grand finale of a trilogy of albums that started with
What’s Your Pleasure? and
That! Feels Good! In terms of compliments, there isn’t much to say about this chapter that hasn’t already been lavished upon her existing work this decade. Jessie Ware has rightfully assumed her position on the throne of soulful disco pop, thanks to her intelligent songwriting, effortless grooves, and rich, honey-like voice.
Her music can fill a dance floor just as easily as it can soundtrack a dinner party with your most tasteful and judgmental friends. It is therefore no surprise that
Superbloom continues to be loungey, mature, stylish and polished… but perhaps slightly to its own detriment. Diminishing returns becomes a factor when her previous two albums were so acclaimed, and while
Superbloom is consistently great, it lacks show-stopping moments like “Spotlight” from
WYP or true bangers like “Freak Me Now” from
TFG.
The best moment is on “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”, the most ABBA-like song of her disco trilogy. Its soaring melodies and sweeping strings evoke sheer robes, European chateaus and finely aged wine – it is, as Marina would say, cuntissimo. Unfortunately, Jessie follows it up with her worst song in a decade, the tepid ballad “16 Summers”, and the momentum is halted.
Maybe there can be too much of a good thing and it’s time for Jessie Ware to explore a new direction with her next album. With her mastery of disco now exhausted, I look forward to see what she does next.
