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How to revive disco – Jessie Ware 'That! Feels Good!’ [REVIEW]

Jessie Ware – a 38-year-old English singer, songwriter, and host of a highly acclaimed podcast “Table Manners”. People all over the world have fallen in love with her funky and electronic disco records and soul and R&B beats. Last Friday, after a 3 year break from her last album, we got to witness another chapter in her musical career – “That! Feels Good”.

What’s all the fuss about?

Jessie Ware very quickly became a known and loved name among the fans of disco music after an incredibly successful release of her album “What’s Your Pleasure?” in 2020. She is certainly no stranger to the Polish audience either; a year ago, she performed at the Open’er Festival in Gdynia, and she never misses a chance to speak fondly of her fans here.

Photo: Ewelina Eris Wójcik via INTERIA.PL

It is important to mention that Jessie Ware and her music are particularly loved among the LGBTQ community, and she considers them highly important in her creative process: “I feel so loved and cherished by a beautiful community and they’re always in my mind, particularly because we have so much fun together. I feel very lucky to have an incredibly strong following from the LGBTQ community. They’ve made me a better performer”.

Throughout her career, the artist collaborated with big names such as Kylie Minogue and Nicki Minaj. However, she is best known for “Say You Love Me” the song, co-written with Ed Sheeran, became a huge hit and kicked off her international career.

So, did it 'feel good’?

Prior to the official album release, Jessie teased fans with three singles – “Free Yourself”, “Pearls”, and “Begin Again”. The songs instantly received positive feedback, and it was obvious the fans could not wait any longer to finally hear the upcoming album. The reviews kept coming; among all, the album received 5 stars from The Guardian and an 8/10 from the Rolling Stone magazine. After getting a taste of what was coming and counting down the long days, “That! Feels Good” arrived at the stroke of midnight.

The album starts off with three powerful songs and manages to intensively, but gracefully, slow it down with “Hello Love”; a breather that leaves you unconsciously swaying in your room. When that isn’t enough, you are once again thrown into the biggest night out in your life with an incredible party trio – “Beautiful People”, “Freak Me Now”, and “Shake The Bottle”. “Beautiful People” perfectly portrays the moment of putting your life on hold and enjoying the company you meet – and probably will never see again – in the bathroom of a random club. “Freak Me Now” only completes that feeling, being a very good “no-nonsense club song”, like the artist herself described it in an interview with the Rolling Stone. “Shake The Bottle” shows an unexpected side of Ware, as she skilfully manages to turn the song into an almost theatrical performance. In need of a bit of a rest now, Jessie Ware throws our way two more ballads; one of them, “Lightning”, reunites the artist with the R&B style, and the result could not be more satisfying.

The album is, without a doubt, a musical masterpiece. Ware once again shows off her versatility and ability to recreate old school sounds in a modern, still very appealing way. The mixture of various sounds creates a record that you can listen to whenever. If you are getting ready before going out, having a barbecue party with your friends, or simply mowing the lawn in the sun, this is a perfect choice. It is no secret that “What’s Your Pleasure?” set the bar high; however, “That! Feels Good” might undoubtedly take over as her best studio album and let “What’s Your Pleasure?” rest for a while. After all, disco never dies.

[Cover: Stereogum]