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Jessie Ware is one of pop’s most expressive vocalists, someone who’s able to convey a lifetime of joy or regret in the way she shades a syllable. On excellent albums like 2014’s Tough Love and 2017’s Glasshouse, she’s used that voice to increasingly languid ends, often sinking into slow-burn atmosphere and Quiet Storm balladry. As enjoyable as that’s been, it’s a pleasant surprise to hear the U.K. singer-songwriter hit the dance floor on her new single “Overtime.”
“Let’s find a way/Meet me at the bar and don’t be late/I could drink you up like summer lemonade,” Ware suggests in her breathiest, flirtiest tones as the track heats up. Her vocal is all classic house-music glamour, with a touch of more modern club music in the bounce of the bass. Back in the early 2010s, Ware first came to prominence through her collaborations with forward-thinking U.K. producers like SBTRKT and Joker; her pairing here with Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford and Bicep’s Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar, who teamed up to produce “Overtime,” is a perfect match. It adds up to four and a half minutes of pure bliss.
