Ware's continuation into the sound of disco on this album results in what is quite possibly the cleanest sounding release of the year, and one that's just as cohesive and well-executed in its ideas. What's Your Pleasure? was a fresh take on the old ideas on disco, sure, but That! Feels Good! is a full-fledged throwback in its style and production - smooth bass and drum rhythms, coupled with an underlying love for funk and soul. It's done so well that you could almost convince someone that a song like the rich title track or the anthemic energy of "Free Yourself" is a forgotten late 70s gem worthy of the dance floor. In spite of the album's love for the old, it's matched with a modern production sensibility on plenty of tracks, thanks again to the work of James Ford and Stuart Price. Both of these producers have their own touch that ultimately still merges well with each other - Price has a more modern touch to his tracks, especially on a moment like "Pearls" for instance, while Ford has a knack for a more retro sound. This isn't necessarily to say one style is better than the other, especially when both bring the heat regardless. It all comes together in a flourishing and sparkly affair that has a hell of a lot of charm and warmth to it, which all works towards the album's benefit.
Of course, there's far more to the album than just the consummate sound of everything - the material that Ware delivers is galvanizing, filled with life, and most importantly makes you want to get up and dance. The smooth textures of the opening track "That! Feels Good!" brings you right in with its tasty synth sounds and strong rhythm, and her momentum is kept up on the following tracks with "Free Yourself", the luxurious and encouraging energy "Pearls", the smoother "Hello Love", and the brilliant single "Begin Again", potentially the album's highest moment with its descending piano line and some samba influence that doesn't feel nearly as out of place as it has been on other songs I've heard this year - it adds some distinct texture to the song, and is maybe even why the song feels so distinct on the album. Having such a stacked first half does ultimately leave the second half a little less loaded, especially with the album weak moment with "Shake the Bottle", but the momentum isn't lost when we have moments like the house styling of "Freak Me Now" or the more subdued and downbeat "Lightning", which also serves as a solid comedown before going back into the lively closing track of "These Lips". Even with some weaker moments, it all makes for an album with a great flow from start to finish - you could throw this on at a party in full and have your night set.
Consider this my pleasure. Jessie Ware's settling into the disco groove further on That! Feels Good! has yielded one of the most consistently fun, playful, and invigorating releases of the year. It's a lively powerhouse of pop, dance, funk, and disco across a tight set of songs that brilliantly moves from one killer moment to the next with no filler in between. With the amount of recent throwbacks to 80s music that have been popping up in the 2020s, it's great to hear such an original and fresh spin on those ideas. Take notes, other pop artists - this is how you revive a genre!
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to That! Feels Good!
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