Sunday Dinner on a Monday

British rapper Speech Debelle deservedly won the Mercury Prize for her 2009 debut Speech Therapy, an intensely introspective effort backed by largely acoustic arrangements that had more in common with jazz, folk, and reggae than most hip-hop. Following the even more sonically ambitious Freedom of Speech, Debelle has devoted much of her time to social activism, speaking at political conferences, hosting a BBC documentary about homeless youth, and curating exhibits of artwork by prisoners. Shes also concentrated on her other passion, cooking, appearing on Celebrity MasterChef and hosting a food podcast. Her self-issued third album, Tantil Before I Breathe, was accompanied by a cookbook and memoir. Sunday Dinner on a Monday opens with "Curry Mutton," a tantalizing ode to the joy of cooking, particularly the cuisine of Debelles Jamaican family lineage. Describing cooking as alchemy, she breathlessly guides the listener through the steps of preparing a dish, sounding more exuberant than on her earlier, more confessional material. Throughout the rest of the album, she continues to tie themes of food and family history into her empowering lyrics and reflections on her lifes journey. While her music still contains jazzy flourishes, shes embraced much more contemporary production than on her past releases, with much of the album incorporating atmospheric synths and sophisticated drum programming. The escapist fantasy "Away from Here" has a shuffling, Afrobeats-inspired rhythm in front of mellow vibraphones and warbling sax. The triumphant "101010" begins with half-submerged rave synths and progresses with angular post-grime beats and vibrant, splashy textures. "DNA" stresses the importance of loving ones family members while theyre still here. Tracks like "Magic" and "Ital" offer similarly encouraging, hopeful messages backed by trippy beats. The drill-influenced "Exercise" takes a slightly darker turn, though Debelle sounds as invigorated and determined as ever. The album ends with the dazzling, optimistic "Sweet Dreams," in which Debelle declares, "When I said I got dreams, I got enough for the both of us." Even though she received critical praise early in her career, Speech Debelle has remained underrated, and Sunday Dinner on a Monday contains some of her most passionate and creative work. ~ Paul Simpson