Estelle - Shine

The fifth on our way down the list of 2008 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominees is Estelle's sophomore album and first US release, Shine. What I find most amazing about this album is not the amazing list of guests (will.i.am, Wyclef Jean, Mark Ronson, Kardinal Offishall, need I go on?) but the fact that none of these artists dominates her sound. The personality on this album is no doubt a contributing factor to its popularity, and Estelle's strong sense of self yields a pretty amazing experience.

Oh yeah, did I mention Kanye West?...



Linked in the video: The nominated album is bottom left, click it for more information or to purchase; Estelle's MySpace and official website yield more samples from Shine.