Beyoncé: 4 – review

Beyoncé's fourth album is a continuation of the split persona of 2008's patchy I Am.... Opening with a clutch of 80s-influenced ballads – the minimal "I Miss You" the highlight – it creeps uptempo, peaking with the incredible "Countdown", Beyoncé near rapping over ecstatic horn blasts, steel drums and a Boyz II Men sample. Elsewhere, "I Care" showcases a much rawer vocal over screeching guitars, while "End of Time" channels Off the Wall-era Jackson. Only the syrupy "I Was Here" disappoints, its corny bluster at odds with the laid-back feel of her most accomplished album yet.