Victoria Monét's new project embellishes sexuality with a dazzling R&B sheen

From the swirling heavenly flurries of opener "Moment", JAGUAR is a lesson on letting style and substance exist hand in hand; where a world can be all things all at once; your cake can be had and eaten.

The right balance of indulgence and escapism, yes, the world is still full of injustice, yes, there’s still a way to go, but if we forget about the luxuries a twenty-something minute project of R&B jams made to ignite the most basic of human instinct should be able to afford us, then they win.

Monét is the epitome of good things come to those who wait, a notion that sits with this bated breath world. With her debut coming way back in 2014, the six years between then and how has seen her embark on a further EP release, collaborations and writing for a plethora of pop titans.

Letting the rhythm ride shotgun with the experience of being a human, specifically a female, in a world wholly focused on remembering to live, Monét knows where to evoke and where to let the beat do its business. Laidback R&B, even when Monét is calling to a retro sound, comes so fresh it could be straight from a packet from the freezer.

Throughout the hypnotic horns of eponymous “Jaguar”, or the body owning “Ass Like That”, comes entrenched sexuality that embarks on a journey of positivity. What can appear as a vain remark, instead covers layers of male-dominated gaze, and once the tables have turned, Monét's power is all the more.

The appearance of flavours you’ll come to find in a few Ariana Grande moments appear simply because Monét is one of the voices helping pen the meteorite pop hits. It’s easy to hear the fluidity of the ideas, but Monét sparks electricity with her own, pure brand, unaffected by any of the Grande zeitgeist.

Of all the burgeoning pop stars in this languid world, Victoria Monét is one who is both the flint and the match. She knows how to craft a line to make you blink twice ("So fuck a fantasy, this your motherfuckin' moment) and follow its path; what sounds are going to create the silky smooth atmosphere to lure and seduce with femininity and sexual prowess, with the voice to convey with the cadence and sultry power.

Put simply, JAGUAR is another step forward for a career that’s been toiling and honing. Monét's moment won't be soon before long.