Teal Dreams is a cohesive, accomplished set of storytelling soul/R’n’B and gently skanking Lovers Rock, with added afro beats and occasional forays into highly accessible pop-ish territory. As a singer, Yazmin Lacey generally eschews melisma or showy vocal acrobatics in favour of close-up, intimate performances using her bewitching, honeyed tone, a soft, tender, just-slightly-grainy voice that delivers her clever, introspective and authentic lyrics, that in this case tell the story of a relationship from beginning to end over the course of the album. 

Her take on Lovers Rock on “Wallpaper” and “Love is Like the Ghetto” is a slinky, seductive and flowing update, blending bubbling reggae rhythms with soul production, while “Grace (Reflective Dub)” is a haunting, stark soul torch song built around dub percussion and bass. “Aint I Good for You” and “Two Step” are expertly assembled afro beats funkers, and there are pretty lullaby-soul ballads, strident, rich R’n’B headnodders, and some pop/indie-ish moments like “No Promises” and “Wild Things,” which are every bit as classy and affecting as the more ‘orthodox’ soul offerings — and this stylistically broad yet thematically cohesive approach makes for a rich, seductive no-skips album.