Over the past decade, singer Rosie Lowe has become one of the most versatile artists in British soul. Possessing a soaring falsetto and raw huskiness, she debuted with the nocturnal atmospherics of 2013’s EP Right Thing before the major-label albums Control (2016) and Yu (2019) saw her touch on synth-pop and funk. Since going independent in 2020, Lowe has come into her own, releasing projects as varied as the luscious R&B EP Now, You Know and a choral-influenced collaboration with Duval Timothy, Son.
Her third album is her most freewheeling and creatively impressive yet. Recorded using a portable rig taken everywhere from Barcelona to Berlin and Deptford, the record’s 15 tracks span sultry bossa nova, thumping breakbeats and ambient synth soundscapes. Lowe’s powerful voice is a comforting constant, sinking into the languorous melodies of Mood to Make Love before layering harmonies on the achingly beautiful a cappella of Don’t Go and tripping over the frenetic beats of Something. Rather than coming across as genre-hopping confusion, Lover, Other is remarkably self-assured and cohesive. Each track has unique production details, such as the warped sampling of In the Morning’s intro. A homegrown rarity with no skips.
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