Kevin Bronson on November 4th, 2016

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“C.O.A.L.S.,” the debut album from Shaprece, should make the Seattle-bred, L.A.-based singer-songwriter one of the It Girls of what they’re calling nu-R&B. It’s a captivating mix of atmospheric production, downtempo rhythms and airborne vocals that belongs on the experimental tip of a playlist with L.A. trio KING, Solange and Swedish-born U.K. singer Fatima. “C.O.A.L.S.” follows up two Shaprece releases from 2014, a split single and an EP titled “Molting,” and sees the singer collaborating with producer Brandon Clarke — aka IG88 — and orchestral arranger Phillip Peterson. The single “How Are You” brings a choral warmth to the kind of flitting melody Moses Sumney makes so engaging, while “Send Down Your Love” is a little more dance-floor-ready, if you can figure out what moves to bust to the beautiful string adornments. And “Two” appears almost as an apparition: Call it mystical glitch. “C.O.A.L.S.” was self-released today.

||| Stream: “How Are You,” “Send Down Your Love” and “Two”

||| Also: Stream the whole album via Spotify