8/10

When French-Cuban twin sisters Ibeyi released their self-titled debut album back in 2015, the world seemed like a radically different place. Filled with an introspective look at their own musical influences, the duo's release marked a statement for bringing together cultures and ideas to create a truly unique and diverse release. But in 2017, the pair have looked at the shape of the world today and taken that into reflection as to what the message of their sophomore album should be.

Sonically, 'Ash' shares plenty in common with its predecessor, but this time we see them embark of a journey of despair being trumped by hope. Rather than fall into a pit of fear and uncertainty, the record's content looks to the current world situations and tries to shine a positive outlook on what the future holds. The album's lead single 'Away Away' projects this emotion perfectly, while other singles such as 'Deathless', focus themselves on the unjust arrests of black people in the United States, but always with a progressive and inspiring spin.

As far as bettering their debut goes, 'Ash' sees itself as a completely different beast. While there is no doubt that this matches the pace and gravitas of their first release, its importance as a message takes it far beyond just another musical release and sets itself up as a point in time for the pair's personal lives.