Estelle
Shine

Contrary to the debaser trend that sees the dominance of blackmetaller vikings, emo-inside teenagers, and improvised indie-intellectuals with a chip on their shoulder, what I am about to review is an album that made headlines for being -UK speaking-, among the best-selling of the year, driven by 2 worldwide hits, various awards, and so let's be honest, COMMERCIAL. But quietly, this little disc represented for me an unexpected surprise, starting from that spring when hesitant and unconvinced, I made it mine. It has accompanied me throughout this truly positive 2008 for Londoner Estelle Swaray, who after much hard work, surely, unlike my broke self who will have had nothing more than "an unexpected surprise," will have seen her bank account significantly increase, along with her notoriety, which was practically nonexistent before then. That even highly praised indie, emocore, and metal scene representatives end up in the commercial cauldron of MTV & co.. well, that's a detail. And the fact that I don't even get MTV and maybe neither Estelle, nor the Baustelle, nor Metallica are constantly featured... well, that's another detail, but to avoid pathetic cut & paste biowiki, I gain lines meanwhile, and then let's admit it, going against MTV and the provocative Mourinho-style intro is quite trendy.

She is the classic ugly duckling: plain-looking, simple, with protruding teeth, a masculine look (paradoxes for a commercial product), the talented Estelle went almost unnoticed with her first album dated 2004, but needless to say, for her came an unexpected almost Cinderella-like global success (the album due to the first single released at the end of 2007 started terribly in terms of sales and expectations) thanks to the new work "Shine," a well-made proposal appreciated by the most diverse palates for its great class, and the abundance of influences and multiple musical styles that are part of it, just to name a few: r&b, nu soul, hip hop, reggae, electronic, funk, house, and last but not least, the inevitable vintage echoes so in vogue in this now dying 2008.

Driven by the mediocre dance single "American Boy," produced by the mediocre Will.I.Am, in collaboration with the mediocre Kanye West, which this summer was everywhere for months, on equally mediocre radios, beaches, and improbable mediocre ringtone ads with dazed cats, annoying puppies, and striking girls parodying it with the so fun and hilarious "worthwhile as a pneumatic hammer for blackhead removal on the face" (cit. GUSTAVOLAMAZZA) or if you prefer, "like an automatic meat grinder in the underwear," (cit. GUSTAVOLAMAZZA), contrary to the resulting annoying single expectations, the album turns out to be a precious gem in the now hyper-standardized and decaying Urban scene. As often happens, in fact, an overly commercial and media-pumped first single makes people cry out to yet another bland product of thirsty labels & record execs conceived only for cash. But fortunately, we're not talking about Puff Daddy, much less Timbo, the 28-year-old Englishwoman was launched by the excellent and humble pianist-composer-singer-producer John Legend, who signed her to his Homeschool Rec.

Estelle's elegant and warm black voice strikes as velvety, but at the same time also aggressive when needed, her class and the refinement of her tone are truly enjoyable and, combined with good productions, help to create a good musical cocktail. Her versatility pleasantly surprises, it is not uncommon for her to dive into brief rap verses where she holds her own well (note she won the award for best female English rapper for 3 consecutive years) or in smoky reggae ramblings thus stepping out of her nu-soul standards; it features cold and wintery sounds, it's a bit surprising that it was released in full spring and reached peak success in summer, a period that certainly does not go well with Estelle's attitudes. Another advantage of this record is the desire to place melody above everything else, a factor sadly increasingly lacking in recent urban records. So don't expect the flashy synths of the Neptunes or the overpowered beats of Timbaland.

Among the producers, we find well-known names such as Will.i.am, Wyclef Jean, Swizz Beatz, Mark Ronson (the latter already awarded producer of the year thanks to the success received through the Back To Black productions for Amy Winehouse, musical pearls now wasted as ever for the latter, and who now find fertile ground in the talented Estelle.)
Among the features is the return of rapper Cee.Lo (a great oldschool personality recently revived with the Gnarls Barkley project), John Legend himself, and the tireless Kanye West, for whom I cannot help but express a certain disgust. Here then are the so-praised cold sounds peeking in "Wait A Minute," a contagious track with vintage tones where our sharp voice certainly does not go unnoticed, Will.I.Am makes a good contribution with an excellent production, an unusual thing for him, given the pathetic past productions (Black Eyed Peas above all). Wyclef Jean from the historic Fugees produces the refined and exotic "No Substitute Love," a single where retro ghosts continue to rage. "American Boy" is the 4/4 summer anthem, an uptempo supported by a classy house-like arrangement. Estelle charms us with her warm voice in the melancholic "More Than Friends" which samples "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Aretha Franklin, while with "Magnificent" (and here Mark Ronson's great production is felt) reggae and oldschool atmospheres meet that recall episodes encountered 15 years ago in the historic "Down With The King" by masters Run DMC.

With a more classic and sophisticated cut, the charming "Come Over" where the classic ragga-riff ties well, and the vintage mood that covers all this work, Supa Dups' production is notable. More reggae/oldschool influences in "So Much Out The Way," a weak track that is easily a skip victim, as is the following lively "In The Rain" with its past echoes. Of quite different caliber, "Back In Love," a delicate ballad, is indeed the only real piece that can be framed in the sole R&B genre. Melancholic and nocturnal "You Are" is widely appreciated with its swirling percussion and relaxing sounds. They close with "Pretty Please" with a gospel flavor, and the flashy title track "Shine" which unfortunately is dismissed entirely.

Overall an album to listen to for those passionate about the genre and those who appreciate the warm black voices, easily digestible even for newcomers to such sounds. Definitely among the most interesting and qualitatively best products of the 2008 mainstream scene, I was very impressed by it and listened to it a lot. I am ready to bet on a bright future for this girl.