Aluna Francis takes the chance to write, sing, and produce her way out of her constrictions -- none self-imposed -- with Renaissance, her first solo album. Over a period of nearly a decade with producer George Reid as one half of AlunaGeorge, Francis experienced tremendous success but was also marginalized, discredited, and mistreated, but she takes total control with a new platform provided by Diplo's Mad Decent label. Titled in allegiance with fellow black women creators making strides across artistic mediums, the album is a strong reaffirmation of Francis' stylistic elasticity. It covers even more territory than AlunaGeorge's preceding second album, I Remember, while coming across as more unified. Francis also challenges herself as a vocalist. On "Body Pump," a probing house collaboration with Jungle's J Lloyd, her voice is full of more grit than ever, equal parts frustration and elation as she breaks free with a belted and empowered refrain ripe for sampling. She isn't above exposing a weakness on "Envious," delivering "You know I'm cruel when I see red" with a pout -- and as a warning -- over rich disco-funk co-produced by Philip von Boch Scully. Kaytranada returns the singer's favor of contributing to 99.9% by granting some spaced-out dancehall for the Rema duet "The Recipe," a legitimately heartwarming song about a chance meeting at a party. There's a fun dancehall summit with Princess Nokia and Jada Kingdom, a little dub, some trap, Afrobeats, U.K. garage, and even a seductive finishing ballad that makes like the Cardigans playing the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks. A quiet highlight that should not be lost in all this is "Pressure," a tweeter-tickling, subwoofer-massaging slow jam where Francis is at her most flirtatious. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi

1		I've Been Starting to Love All the Things I Hate
2		Warrior
3		Sneak
4		Envious
5		Don't Hit My Line
6		Get Paid
7		The Recipe
8		Body Pump
9		Ain't My Business
10		Off Guard
11		Back Up
12		Pressure
13		Surrender
14		Whistle

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