Aluna Francis takes the chance to write, sing, and produce her way out of her constrictions -- none self-imposed -- with
Renaissance, her first solo album. Over a period of nearly a decade with producer
George Reid as one half of
AlunaGeorge,
Francis experienced tremendous success but was also marginalized, discredited, and mistreated, but she takes total control with a new platform provided by
Diplo's
Mad Decent label. Titled in allegiance with fellow black women creators making strides across artistic mediums, the album is a strong reaffirmation of
Francis' stylistic elasticity. It covers even more territory than
AlunaGeorge's preceding second album,
I Remember, while coming across as more unified.
Francis also challenges herself as a vocalist. On "Body Pump," a probing house collaboration with
Jungle's
J Lloyd, her voice is full of more grit than ever, equal parts frustration and elation as she breaks free with a belted and empowered refrain ripe for sampling. She isn't above exposing a weakness on "Envious," delivering "You know I'm cruel when I see red" with a pout -- and as a warning -- over rich disco-funk co-produced by
Philip von Boch Scully.
Kaytranada returns the singer's favor of contributing to
99.9% by granting some spaced-out dancehall for the
Rema duet "The Recipe," a legitimately heartwarming song about a chance meeting at a party. There's a fun dancehall summit with
Princess Nokia and
Jada Kingdom, a little dub, some trap, Afrobeats, U.K. garage, and even a seductive finishing ballad that makes like
the Cardigans playing the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks. A quiet highlight that should not be lost in all this is "Pressure," a tweeter-tickling, subwoofer-massaging slow jam where
Francis is at her most flirtatious. ~ Andy Kellman
![Blue Lines [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602557009606_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Blue Lines [LP]")
![Please [2018 Remastered Version]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0190295832759_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Please [2018 Remastered Version]")
![Violator [2014] [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227960803_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Violator [2014] [LP]")
![101 [180 Gram Vinyl]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227942519_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "101 [180 Gram Vinyl]")
![Exciter [180 Gram Vinyl]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227960773_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "Exciter [180 Gram Vinyl]")
![Spirit [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0889854116514_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Spirit [LP]")
![Songs of Faith and Devotion [LP] [2006 Remastered Track]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227960797_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Songs of Faith and Devotion [LP] [2006 Remastered Track]")