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16th August 2020

“The Best of Sade” by Sade is a compilation album of singles by an English band that first made its appearance in the 80s, named after their lead singer, Sade Adu. Sade’s music delivers a unique medley of sounds by combining smooth soul, smoky jazz and sophisticated pop. Sade Adu’s beautiful voice definitely steals the spotlight with its noticeably coarse yet deeply soulful features. When listening to their music, it’s impossible not to think of Sade Adu as the epitome of class and sophistication.

This album effectively compiles the ‘greatest hits’ from their first 4 albums and provides a great overview of their discography for both newcomers and long-time fans of Sade. I usually prefer listening to the albums of artists rather than compilations, but in this case, the compilation contains an impressive collection of attention-grabbing singles. They are ordered with a good pace and tempo, moving from upbeat rhythms and melodies to slow atmospheric ballads. This arrangement effectively maintains the listeners attention throughout the full 74 minutes of the album.

Sade Adu’s voice layers itself perfectly with the jazzy textures of the instrumental backing, leaving a sultry atmosphere of tender passion running through the ears of the listener. It is impossible to compare her distinctly restrained yet soothing voice to other female vocalists of past or present. She is considered to carry a contralto vocal range, the lowest of the female vocal ranges, yet effortlessly displays her uniquely warm velvety tones without the need for high-octave belting or excessive vocal acrobatics. The greatest appeal is her ability to carry sweet-earthy voice with intense emotion, elegance and dignity.

Lyrically, the song-writing largely contemplates themes of love surrounding commitment, vulnerability, heartbreak, and intense desire. Some of my favourite singles here include “Your Love is King”, a song that celebrates the romantic intimacy, tenderness and devotion that deepens the spiritual connection between two people. On the converse, “Is It a Crime?” describes the agony of one-sided love with vividly metaphorical language, alternating between the gentle verses and powerful chorus with the jazzy saxophone crooning away in the background. “The Sweetest Taboo” is a super-smooth intimate declaration of love carried by an upbeat rhythm and funky instrumentation. Or how about Sade’s charming cover of the blues-ballad “Please Send Me Someone to Love” (exclusively found in this album and no others).

Sade Adu’s popularity has always rested entirely on her musical talents, unique vocal abilities and expressive song-writing. Her beautiful looks and classy demeanour emanate her elegance and sophistication without the need to rely on any kind of sex appeal. This is something that is rarely seen in modern music industry today, much of which relies on generically pitch-perfect singing, displays of excessive sexuality and explicit song-writing. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Sade’s maturity and classiness places her in a league of her own.

Of course, this compilation isn’t perfect. There are excellent songs that didn’t make the cut such as “Cherry Pie”, “By Your Side”, “Be That Easy” and more from their later albums. But this says more about Sade’s rich discography that simply cannot be contained in 74 minutes. However, this is a good starting point for newcomers to Sade, and also a convenient compilation of memorable hits that all Sade fans are bound to love.

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