Lisa Stansfield – Affection

Withheld the recognition from the music press that she so sorely deserved, Lisa Stansfield failed to achieve lasting success in the industry despite being far more identifiable than her counterpart Mariah Carey, to whom she lost the coveted Grammy for Best New Artist in 1990. A true classic of the era, "Affection" combines the soulful rawness of 1970s R&B with high-tech dance production commonplace in the late 1980s. Although its slick production style disallows it from being considered a steadfast attempt at soul revival, Stansfield's virtuoso vocalisations more often than not overcome the dance pop leanings and the music effortlessly veers into sleek R&B territory.

Updated soul treasures and Barry White homages aside, the record is both retrospective and contemporary in its intent, but the exuberance, lushness and sophisticated tone successfully freshen any dated elements, unlike the output of other dance divas. Hypnotic in mood and entirely elegant, "Affection" is a stellar, beguiling collection meticulously but not calculatedly designed for club play and discos, however, despite its pop tendencies, the songs never lack depth, with quality and momentum remaining exceedingly high during the sixty-minute duration. In fact, the pacing and track-listing is so formidable and cogent that the album can play out similarly to a compilation rather than a standalone album given each song segues seamlessly into the next, every time matching its predecessor. "What Did I To You?" and "This Is the Right Time" are still revered as house-inflected floorfillers, but the astounding "All Around the World" is one of the greatest singles of all-time, a crossover masterpiece of the highest order. Once the yearning and earnest opening line is heard, it will be indelibly seared into your consciousness forevermore.

"Affection" is an effervescent record that should have launched Stansfield's career into the stratosphere, yet alas, it did not, but that sad fact cannot diminish the excellence of this album, which remains one of the greatest records of the 1980s.

Rating: 5/5