She had a hit called "1980" a few years back but I dismissed her as a one hit wonder and to be honest I wasn't blown away by her raps. When I heard she was working with John Legend I decided to sample it at the music store and realised that I had been completely wrong about her, she is a singer who raps not the other way around. More than that is that she has a beautiful voice.
When I heard the George Michael sample on "No Substitute Love" it was over, I had to get the album. The album is so nostalgic to me, I don't know if it is the samples e.g. Bob Marley on "So Much Out The Way" or it is the fact that she reminds me so much of Lauryn Hill.
The multitasking (rapping, writing & singing), the eclectic sounds (Reggae, Rock & Hip-hop influences) certainly justify comparisons to Lauryn Hill. But Estelle is her own woman. Her songs are not as heavy and are meant to be enjoyed without being taken too seriously.
The production on the album is top notch, not surprisingly given names like Will.I.Am, John Legend, Swiss Beatz & Mark Ronson. A criticism that might be levelled at the production is the over abundant use of samples but as stated earlier it adds to the nostalgia.
Overall the album is definitely a winner, the revolution of British soulstresses is in full swing. Estelle has something that the others ( Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele, Joss Stone etc.) do not have and that is a street sensibility and a light-heartedness.
Noteworthy tracks include the ballad "Come Over", "No Substitute Love" & the duet with Cee-Lo "Pretty Please", which sounds like a duet between Diana Ross & Aretha Franklin (Cee-Lo playing Aretha).
