The arrival of Jessie Ware’s fourth studio album, ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’, is not just a sonic rebrand, it is the arrival of a new disco diva. Teaming up once again with long-time producer James Ford, Ware sheds any perceived pressure from the music industry to deliver a record that is unapologetically fun, raunchy, and dripping in glittery escapism. This is a collection of nu-disco-tinged, front-to-end bops and a true a masterclass in making her personal sound profoundly universal on the dancefloor. Jessie creates a soundscape that is at once retro-modern, contemporary, and timeless all on her own. These songs are all so polished and refined that it’s hard to find a fault… honestly. Ware has really showed that she’s fully in charge with her newfound confidence, inviting us into an intimate world of desire and freedom. Let’s listen!
The undisputed highlight and opening track, Spotlight sets the stage for the night. What sets the album apart from standard dance-pop is this ethereal, cinematic flair of a dramatic, classical, orchestral dream. Ware builds a powerful, melancholic tension throughout the intro as her vocals descend, giving way to a relentless, heavy bass that drives the track forward, unexpected from the theatrical opening. This is disco after hours. The muted guitars and low vocal register suggest a restrictive, holding-back energy that pairs perfectly with the lyrical desire to stay in a perfect moment: “I just wanna stay in the moonlight, this is our time in the spotlight.” The mission is so clear here. This is an album for sex.
The deep synths and grooves in the What’s Your Pleasure? intro already feel like you’re meeting someone at Berghain. This production immediately channels a gorgeous, dark Goldfrapp-esque arrangement whilst Ware is totally suggestive, giving herself up to the moment and asking a stranger what their desire is on the dancefloor. Her monosyllabic delivery on lines like “push, press, more, less, stop, go, fast, slow” is fiercely direct and this raunchy temptation is SURELY too good to resist. The darkness in the synths and the close, intimate groove is a perfect fit for a hypnotic, night-time record before the track fades out with the sound of car traffic.
The morning after shortly arrives with Ooh La La. This track sounds like walking down a city street, holding up traffic with a smile on your face. It’s a cheeky, sultry, and slightly naughty song, ripped straight from the 70s. The bassline is undeniably funky and is already a recurring, killer trait of the album. Lyrics are packed with polite but funky innuendos as Ware fantasizes about a joyride, singing: “You can love me one time, you can love me two, two times.” It’s all about finding intimate escape amidst the chaos of the world. Even though this one starts relatively soft, it erupts into a full euphoric flurry during the outro, perfectly capturing the excitement of a late-night car ride to an unknown destination. Wild ride.
Going four for four, the party shows no signs of letting up in Soul Control. This cut is all about club life, freedom, and losing your inhibitions. The cascading synths and funky bassline swirl with a relentless pace in this joyful homage to disco and house, and vocals feel heavily inspired by Janet Jackson. This is glittery disco goodness in all its luxurious glamour. The lyrics are self-indulgent and direct, with Ware singing “soul control, that’s how you want it, soul control, that’s how I give it ya”, and the energy is palpable. It’s an infectious, vibrant, and essential piece of club life. It is starting to make me wonder though… when is this album going to calm down?
Spoiler alert: not yet. On a personal high point of the album, Save a Kiss is an utterly euphoric disco-dance track about the longing and exhilaration of reuniting with someone (“high anticipation, it’s an emotional trap”). Compared to the chaos of previous tracks, the production on this record is more streamlined, allowing the heartache and yearning to truly shine, but syths are still super heavy and danceable. Channels a bit of Robyn’s emotionally rich dance-pop actually. The way violins marry synths on this track really give CLUB GLORY and line of the album goes to the gang vocals on “save a little bit of your lovin, baby”. Anticipation builds and builds but then dives back into the mix, and this one feels beautifully bare. Emotively Kate Bush at times too.
Adore You manages to provide a brief, much-needed change in pace now. It’s a softer, much more rhythmic and hypnotic piece than the preceding club bangers and is a romantic confession of profound love and vulnerability. The disco groove is still present, but the production is much more ethereal. A burbling synth provides a steady foundation for Ware’s feather-light vocals, capturing the softness of her past work. The “I wanna tell the world, want everyone to see that you belong to me” makes this a declaration of love nestled perfectly in the middle of the album.
Back in the disco-funk mix with another grand piece, In Your Eyes has a Kylie Minogue-esque quality about it. Defined by its beautiful, strong orchestral string arrangement that adds a brooding, James Bond-y atmosphere, this song is about being utterly captivated and lost in love. Ware has a sense of urgency (“there were butterflies moving in the light, they were justified every single time”), alongside whirring arpeggios driving the beat. This one is a real stream of consciousness about the pleasure and the pain of a relationship, and the masterful use of the orchestral elements really underscore the emotional drama here.
With the party showing no signs of stopping, Step Into My Life is a fun, groovy track dripping in attitude. It embodies the glamorous dancefloor romance vibe, with a slightly sneaky, intimate feel to it. Ware has had enough of waiting, seeking intimacy with a confident seduction: “when we’re together ain’t nothing better, so I’m gonna get ya.” The delivery here is distinctly R&B. It’s intimate and almost predatory (lol). Surrendering to desire, the staccato chorus “now’s the time to step into my life” makes this track a real head-bopper and proves that orchestral funk lives another day!
The campy, tongue-in-cheek track of the album, Read My Lips, is all about flirty, unspoken attraction. Words simply aren’t enough for Jessie Ware ladies and gents. The track has a care-free energy and a real underground New York clubbing vibe. Heavy synths and octave-jumping bass lines give it a steady, well-versed rhythm that is wonderfully ‘bubblygummy’ and squeaky. The lip smacks in the chorus are pure fun, conveying a cheeky mood that tells somebody to make a move – “if you wanna know the truth, read my lips”. It’s a bold challenge to open the fuck up.
A late-night return to the club roots, Mirage (Don’t Stop) is a pure, propulsive house number for the dancefloor. The opening, built on deep, stuttering synths and an oontz-thumpy house beat, makes this song feel like classic UK dance. The repeated simple “don’t stop moving together” is designed to make you sweat and it’s clear that Ware is obsessed with connection as she references how dancing felt like it “saved [her] life.” The song sounds super rich and it is designed to literally make you want to have sex. It’s a ridiculously strong, intentional move to keep you locked on the dancefloor for another 2 songs at least.
The LP then takes a darker, more complicated turn with the moody, slow-burn disco track, The Kill. This one explores the painful decline when lust starts to fall apart into a failing relationship. The production is intense and sophisticated, with cinematic strings adding a sinister feel this time around. It’s danceable, yet the lyrics tell a different story: “wanna swallow my pride but I choke on my own words.” It’s a complex piece where the highs cannot exist without the lows, making this one feel like Ware is running away from something, fully enhanced by a city skyline in the background. As the penultimate track, saving the doubts and the darkness for this moment is a powerful, emotional move. Simply, “don’t try to kill [Jessie Ware] with your love.”
Finally, a truly fitting and cathartic album closer, Remember Where You Are is a sprawling, soulful, and uplifting epic track that has a true sense of finality. This track serves as the end credits to an emotional journey. It takes inspiration from the pandemic, acting as a love letter to London and a reminder to cherish human touch, blending disco with poignant, Aretha Franklin-esque vocals. Complemented by swirling violins and woodwind sections, Ware sings “the heart of the city is on fire […] but nothing is different in my arms”, to encourage joy, hope, and resilience in the face of political upheaval. The song feels like a cuddle. A moment to protest with. A mantra to stay grounded. A time to remember where we are.
Ultimately, Jessie Ware and her collaborators have managed to create something utterly unique on this album. At its core, it’s centered around the intoxicating, crucial necessity of escapism and dance-pop. But this is no impersonal collection of bangers. It is an expertly written record, overflowing with raw emotion and a newfound, glorious personality.
The greatest triumph of this release is that Jessie Ware has channeled a new, ecstatic shape and sound. The songs are polished, refined, and so seamlessly delivered that she leaves no room for negativity. She commands the room, fully in charge of the narrative and sound. She’s showed us her pleasure, now give your ears the same treatment.
Glerbie 