8/10

After the phenomenal success of her debut album 'Sing To The Moon', Laura Mvula has brought her forward-thinking sound back to us with the release of her long-awaited second studio album 'The Dreaming Room'. While the debut had its more commercial and radio friendly moments, it seems clear from the start of this new release that her direction is less about pleasing the masses and more about delivering a succinct and progressive full-length release.

Her brooding disposition mixed with her quest for experimentation and diversity has led to an incredibly engaging new full-length. While not every track follows this driven path, they all share a hallmark Mvula moment, whether it be a choir-backed chorus or percussion-led production. Essentially, she has managed to create so many traits to her sound that even her most eclectic output still manages to share a common direction, which is exactly what makes her such an incredible artist.

There is hard to find something on here that can't be enjoyed. Whether its her simple and happy anthems or her low and subdued ballads, 'The Dreaming Room' is the perfect return for an artist of this calibre.