Image via YouTube
For my money, Mabel – a popstar for our current moment if ever there was one – has not yet put a foot wrong. Following the release of her emotionally intelligent and sonically versatile mixtape Ivy to Roses (one of Noisey's 100 best releases of 2017, no less) at the end of last year, her first new track of 2018 has arrived. It's called "Fine Line," it features fellow rising star Not3s, and you can listen to it here:
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It's bright, with shiny production that'll surely have you pining for longer days, and kidding yourself that this freezing cold wind cannot possibly last much longer, and it's also an experiment in unpredictable melodies that has really paid off. Like all Mabel's material, it really finds its feet in the chorus – she has an uncanny ability to bring the drama of a great pop refrain to songs that lean more towards R&B – and Not3s adds a fun verse near the end to keep the momentum up. Excellent stuff, once again, from Mabel, for whom my crystal ball predicts wonderful things in this, the year 2018.Follow Lauren on Twitter.