A long seven years after her previous album, Canadian singer/songwriter
Nelly Furtado
released her seventh set, the doubly aptly titled
7
. Here,
Furtado
brings that beat back, injecting a
Loose
-level dose of energy, fun, and liveliness to her catalog. After the midtempo synth lushness of 2017's
The Ride
, this is a welcome return to the dancefloor. Featuring a mish-mash of beat-driven styles, there's something here for fans of every era. The most immediate of the bunch include the stomping "Corazón" with Colombian outfit
Bomba Estéreo
, the throbbing electronic anthem "Love Bites" with
SG Lewis
and
Tove Lo
, and the synth-pop bliss-outs "Ready for Myself" and "Honesty." Peppered throughout are slower, softer numbers that'll please fans of
Folklore
, namely "Floodgate," the tender, piano-backed duet with
Charlotte Day Wilson
, "All Comes Back," and the sweeping, string-packed empowerment anthem "Better Than Ever." While genres bounce all over the place and energy levels vary,
is another solid collection from the beloved artist. ~ Neil Z. Yeung