“This London-based crooner emerged in the early ’00s as the face of Britain’s 2-step scene, but on his fourth full-length Craig David doesn’t sound tethered to any one sound in particular: In opener “Hot Stuff” he channels disco-era Michael Jackson over a sizable sample of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”; “Friday” has an old-school funk flavor; “Don’t Play With Our Love” rides a tasty Latin-jazz groove, in a nod to Havana, where the album was recorded. Though Martin Terefe’s production features loads of ear-tickling detail—check out the furious horn chart in “6 of 1 Thing”—David’s strongest vocal performance comes in the CD’s most stripped-down cut, “Just a Reminder.” It’s perfect for Robin Thicke fans worried that Thicke’s upcoming disc won’t include another “Lost Without U.”—Mikael Wood”
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