Since her 2016 debut, For All We Know, London singer-songwriter Neo Jessica Joshua, AKA Nao, has made gossamer-light R&B that soars on the power of her distinctive high-lying voice. Grammy award- and Mercury prize-nominated for her electronic-influenced second album, Saturn (2018), and finding joy post-Covid on 2021’s acoustic-leaning And Then Life Was Beautiful, Nao’s output in the four years since has slowed after a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. But rather than a tale of struggle, fourth record Jupiter arrives with optimistic flair.
Wildflowers sets the tone with its sprightly bass line and interlocking drum groove that anchors Joshua’s earworming melody about a yearning romance. Other uptempo numbers such as We All Win and Happy People lift into anthemic choruses. Yet it’s on the slower tracks that she is given space to shine, expertly sinking into the nocturnal groove of Elevate and erupting into an emotive crescendo on Light Years. There is little here that will surprise Nao’s longtime fans, but it’s an enjoyable listen and a welcome return for a homegrown R&B stalwart.
