Angel Haze: Dirty Gold

Raykeea Wilson's debut as Angel Haze has been a long time coming, so much so that the artist herself leaked the album last month to get the label to hurry up. It worked a treat, though you have to wonder about the current relationship between act and label after that escapade. Release shenanigans aside, Dirty Gold is a strong, brave, robust slew of pop-rap. Even with the help of such pop hands as Sia Fuller (who has written for Rihanna and David Guetta) and Markus Dravs (Coldplay and Mumford & Sons' producer), the rough, tough, gritty edges that define the Detroit native's work are much in evidence here. In-between the glossy sheen of Deep Sea Diver and Echelon (My Way), Black Synagogue and Black Dahlia delve deep into religious and family dysfunction respectively, while White Lillies/White Lies is a superbly judged blend of sound and fury. angelhazemusic.com
Download: Black Synagogue, Black Dahlia, White Lillies/White Lies