Katy B
Little Red
(Columbia Records)
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Life has become serious for Kathleen Brien since her upbeat debut, On a Mission, set Europe’s toes-a-tapping in 2011. Not that you should expect any Rihanna-level drama. The major revelation from Little Red’s background notes is – “I’ve moved out of my parents’ house: I’m dealing with issues on my own.” But then this endearingly unpretentious young Briton always preferred a mighty groove to pop’s enduring cult of personality. Indeed, while the big American R&B icons increasingly incorporate influences from British dance culture, Brien has been there from the beginning and that ear for fresh production talent again serves her well on the new record. The opening salvo is sensational, from Next Thing’s winning hint of the 1980s cheese legends Technotronic to the crunchy bassline that makes I Like You an irresistible hip-wiggler. Yet, even this unaffected soul eventually succumbs to album sag syndrome, as the playful floor-fillers give way to a more reflective, much duller second half. Thankfully the soaring closer Still, reminiscent of Robyn’s ever-fabulous Every Heartbeat, suggests a more complete future: Katy can party while tugging at the heartstrings, too.
* Si Hawkins
