Following her critically acclaimed 2016 debut, Soul Eyes, and 2018’s Karriem Riggins-produced Indigo, the singer that Prince said possesses ‘a voice that could melt snow’ is back with her most straight-ahead release to date.

The concept for the album, which sees Springs reunite with Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein, is simplicity itself and all the stronger for it; namely a tribute to the female vocalists who have had a particularly significant impact on Springs, including key touchstones such as Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Sade and Nina Simone. Set up by a pulsating ostinato from guest bassist Christian McBride, from Bob Dorough’s coruscating album opener, ‘Devil May Care’, onwards, Springs seems completely inside the hand-picked material.

Blue Note President Don Was offered Springs a record deal after hearing her perform Bonnie Raitt’s ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’ (from Raitt’s 1991 album, Luck of the Draw, which Was co-produced) and the version heard here is one of the album’s standout moments. It was hearing Norah Jones’s version of ‘The Nearness of You’ (at the age of 13) which initially inspired Springs to pursue her musical path, and her interpretation of the Hoagy Carmichael/Ned Washington classic detonates a powerful emotional charge. Jones herself joins Springs for a beautifully sustained duet on a song especially beloved by Ella Fitzgerald, the Matt Dennis/Earl K. Brent-penned standard, ‘Angel Eyes’. Other highlights include a swinging reinterpretation of Lauryn Hill’s ‘Ex Factor’, Luiz Bonfá’s languorous ‘Gentle Rain’, Sade’s ‘Pearls’ and a Moonlight Sonata-infused take on ‘I Put A Spell On You’, with superb guest contributions from David Sanborn, Avishai Cohen, Chris Potter and Elena Pinderhughes. This is, without question, Springs’ most complete, most memorable statement to date.