Still only 25, JoJo’s career was stalled by a contract that resulted in a lawsuit, meaning Mad Love is her first proper album in 10 years. Unable to release music officially, her downtime was peppered with experimental mixtapes (including 2012’s excellent Agápē), their existence making Mad Love’s fairly generic R&B a touch disappointing. While there are flashes of brilliance – the pulsating Alessia Cara duet I Can Only; the bolshy strut of Fab – too many songs feel dated or unable to properly showcase JoJo’s raw vocal (opener Music is trampled under the emotional weight). If Mad Love represents a creative rebirth then it will be interesting to see where she goes next.
