Girl

Abandoning their debut’s mellow indie pop, London trio Girl Ray—inspired by Ariana Grande and Drake—goes full-on pop on album two. Nobody will mistake Girl for the next Take Care, although it’s better for it. They try out Destiny’s Child-style recriminations (“Keep It Tight”), dreamy evocations of solitude in the vein of Solange (“Let It Go”), and even a muted dembow stutter (“Because”), asserting their identity via dusty analog production (hear the flute trills on “Go to the Top”) and singer Poppy Hankin’s lovely, nervous voice, which is often caught in the throes of anticipation. Their charm underpins a surprisingly convincing about-face.