Kelis: Flesh Tone

Edgy R&B siren Kelis was once the Neptunes' muse. Her fifth album, though, comes courtesy of Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am's label. It's the most radical expression thus far of the executive producer's strategy of cross-fertilising urban pop with European dance music (abetted by DJ/producers like David Guetta). Versatile and asymmetric of haircut, Kelis is a natural on house-electro hybrids such as "Scream" but Flesh Tone's banging imperatives often threaten to compress this effusive New Yorker. Not even references to her break-up from rapper Nas and new motherhood can dispel the impression of a singer bolted onto some ready-made tracks.