Soul singer, pianist, and songwriter made her self-titled debut back in 2010. The record was embraced by BBC's Radio 2 and a slew of European DJs both on radio and in clubs, prompting a spot on Later...With Jools Holland (an appearance that apparently blew away ). Subsequently she toured, opening for everyone from to ; from . Her single "Ugly Part of Me" made its way into BillBoard's Top 20 on the Urban chart. Her long-awaited follow-up -- again recorded and written with musical partner, guitarist -- does not disappoint; if anything, it further establishes her as a singular talent. uses the source inspirations of classic R&B from Memphis, Detroit, and Philly, and places them in decidedly modern context, setting her apart from retro-soul revivalists. Check the ballad (and first single) "Call My Name," with its sultry weave of guitars, rubbery bassline, and her piano fluidly underscoring her vocal in this stirring torch song. On opener "Won't You Try," she uses the example of ' and in a classic club fingerpopper. "One Foot Ahead" uses jazz syncopation and reggae inside a lithe funk. "Meditation No. 1 (Conversation with God)" recontextualizes 21st century gospel inside dreamy neo-soul. "I Do Love You (You Ain't Got to Lie)" weds early Motown and Southern gospel, , and . "See You When I Get There," with its clavinet, electric piano, horns, and loops, carries a groove so infectious, slippery, and funky, it could be the follow-up single. Closer "Safe in His Arms" showcases 's prodigious piano talents. It is a striking gospel tune that addresses a soldier, exhorting her/him to have faith when returning to the battlefield. One can hear traces of both in her delivery -- which is no mean feat. is more diverse than her debut, and reveals the expansion of 's musical vision on , combined with a maturity and self-assuredness that further engrave her musical signature in the R&B lexicon. ~ Thom Jurek