Katy B
Little Red
2/5

Although hits off her first album, On a Mission, were replayed so religiously on radio stations and Fruity Fridays that they risked becoming background noise, you would be hard pressed to say that the redhead’s debut album left us wanting more. One would therefore think that her second album, Little Red, would be an opportunity for Katy to show us, like a desperate X-Fac- tor contestant, that she “has so much more to offer”. In her new album, Katy B’s love for the “sub that goes booooom” has (fortunately) waned. However, her affection for funky-house beats is so half hearted that towards the end of the album you’re gagging for a repeat of that similar passion for the bass that she demonstrated in 2011. Trying to show she has a life beyond the dance floor, Katy B’s new album attempts to show her sensitive side, with tracks such as ‘Crying for No Reason’ and ‘Still’ proving that she is more than just a vocalist for dance tracks. Working with Guy Chambers, the songwriter behind Robbie Williams, to pen most of the songs, Katy B’s lyrics show sorrow, want, and genuine human emotion. Unfortunately, when put onto backing tracks that lack originality, the songs fail to reach their full potential – they suddenly seem to blend into one. Saying this,Little Redis not completely monotonous: it does hold some much needed features from man of the moment Sampha and everyone’s favourite Instagrammer Jessie Ware. However, if Katy B’s aim for this album was to show her dynamism as an artist, she failed. Once again Katy proves that she has talent, but that she doesn’t know how to show its originality from that of the other female vocalists that are currently stomping over the dance/pop/urban scene. Maybe third time lucky.

Jess White