Olivia Dean - Messy

Olivia Dean's Messy sounds like a young songwriter getting comfortable in her own skin, a 2023 debut steeped in warm soul, gentle pop and a refreshing lack of pretence.

The London singer drew on neo-soul, contemporary R&B and classic Motown, and the result earned a Mercury Prize shortlist nod in its release year. It is a record about the in-between stages of life, figuring out love, independence and self-worth without pretending to have it all sorted, which is exactly what the title promises.

"Dive" glides along with breezy, sunlit charm, while "Ladies Room" is a sisterly pep talk delivered with sly wit and a knowing smile. "Danger" simmers with jazzy chords and late-night tension, and "Carmen" closes the album as a moving tribute to her family's roots and the people who came before her.

Her voice is the real draw, rich and unhurried, equally at home with a big hook or a hushed confession. The arrangements stay light on their feet, all soft keys, gentle horns and rhythm sections that know when to hang back and let her lead.

It is the kind of debut that makes you want to follow an artist for years, and on vinyl its warmth really glows, best enjoyed start to finish on a slow Sunday.