When the Swedish-Gambian singer-songwriter Seinabo Sey released the fantastic single I Owe You Nothing earlier this year, it felt like a statement of intent. The UK reception to Pretend, her 2015 debut album, was on the positive side of lukewarm: the songs were pleasant and soulful, Sey’s voice fantastic and rich, but nothing really stuck. Now she’s back with a sound that is more forceful and confident, confronting longing, self-esteem and womanhood.
While tracks such as Hold Me As I Land crackle with gospel familiarity, it’s soft experimentation that makes the album an engaging listen. Breathe soars with cinematic strings, followed by the sparkling, glitchy keys of Good in You. I Love You swirls like a Disney princess gone to the club. It’s an album that quietly tackles femininity and expectations, then, but the propulsive, defiant sentiment of I Owe You Nothing feels lacking at times, as if I’m a Dream – sweet, but too short – is not quite complete.
