Review: Katy B – ‘Peace And Offerings’ EP

UK singer/songwriter Katy B makes a return to the music scene with her first release since 2016’s ‘Honey’ album.

Unleashed earlier this month, her new EP ‘Peace and Offerings’ boasts eight tracks and is led by the singles, ‘Under My Skin’ and ‘Lay Low’.

Boo’d Up and Club Ready

The EP’s eight tunes fall into two general categories.

It’s tracklisting is a mix of shamelessly boo’d up, robust R&B tracks and dancefloor ready Afro-bashment, reggaeton-lite, pop bops like single, ‘Under My Skin’.

These super listenable, club-ready cuts immediately take the singer into new musical territory. However, Katy B doesn’t completely reinvent herself on them.

She doesn’t truly separate from what she’s previously released up until now with them.

These tunes can come off as on-trend, radio-friendly vehicles designed to support what Katy B has already done before. In that sense, the ‘Peace and Offerings’ EP has no surprises.

It would’ve been interesting to hear Katy B shake up her personal approach a little more for this EP. A bunch of unexpected feature artists could’ve been invited onto some of the tracks, in order to shake them up. Maybe for even just one song.

This is especially true for the project’s dancehall and Afrobeats-singed tracks. Admittedly, doing so would’ve either failed to ignite, or thrown Katy B head first into an entirely new arena.

Nevertheless, a little more fearlessness in that respect would’ve reinvigorated ‘Peace and Offerings’, and to a lesser extent, Katy’s back catalogue.

Rose-Tinted Glasses On The Dancefloor

Katy B happily wears her rose-tinted glasses on the dancefloor, and refuses to take them off for most of ‘Peace and Offerings’.

The star fights her feelings on ‘Under My Skin’, and smoothly wraps her singing prowess around the irresistible, seductive grooves of ‘Lay Low’

Katy heads to another club (or back to the same club) with south London singer/songwriter Jaz Karis on ‘Open Wound’. Notably, the angst in this tune’s lyrics isn’t reflected in its chill harmonies and warmly inviting instrumental.

Head Over Heels

Katy B’s vocals remain contagious throughout the EP’s duration. When she uses them to explore and express the entire release’s preoccupation with true romance, it’s endearing – mostly.

Thankfully, the singer’s head-over-heels musings don’t get too sickly. A balance is struck when the EP’s unwavering, unhurried R&B beats meet Katy B’s adolescently ecstatic love musings.

The two-and-a-half minute R&B cut, ‘Aftermath’ is unapologetically heartfelt.

On ‘Daydreaming On A Tuesday’ we once again find Katy B happily hypnotised and entranced with her partner. As she manoeuvres around the track’s memorable breakbeat and breezy momentum, the singer/songwriter purrs, “I just wanna lay here…you’re on my mind, baby.”

In The Thrall of Love

Amongst the crisp R&B beats of ‘In Your Room’, Katy B is still in the thrall of love.

The performer uses the track’s intimate verses to describe playful exchanges with a special someone, and its soaring hooks to proudly reaffirm her devotion to them.

‘Peace and Offerings’ showcases a range of elevated, widescreen choruses, and they usually hit their mark.

‘Floating’ is built upon a cooled, moody R&B instrumental, and is a fine companion to ‘In Your Room’, because just like ‘In Your Room’, ‘Floating’ features a large-scale hook.

Katy B uses this one to uninhibitedly proclaim the sheer ecstasy of being intertwined with her current partner.

On highlight track ‘Dancing Round The Truth’ however, the singer is momentarily forced to come back down to earth, and off of cloud 9 to face a festering in-relationship disagreement head-on.

Verdict: 6.5******/10