Little Mix - LM5 (2018) [Japan Edition]

The most compelling arc in the story of a major pop act is always the one where their sound deepens and matures, with the band finally balancing who they are with who the label wants them to be. From the start, Little Mix have been on a mission to perfect this balance, countering their televised coronation as winners of U.K.'s The X Factor in 2011 with albums that showcase their soulful voices and knack for multi-part harmony with believably righteous feminist and sex-positive messages. Released in 2018, the aptly titled LM5 feels like the apotheosis of this journey, and once again presents the group as an empowered pop force to be reckoned with. For the first time, all four Little Mix members -- Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson -- are listed as executive producers, which further supports the notion that LM5 is a more fully realized representation of the group. Of course, Little Mix are assisted in achieving this representation by a bevy of top-level producer/songwriters, including Steve Mac, Kamille, Loosechange, Joe Kearns, Ed Sheeran, and others. However, rather than watering down their sound, these tracks are vibrantly cross-pollinated, touching upon lush a cappella ("The National Manthem"), R&B flamenco ("Love a Girl Right"), and buzzy, exotic club bangers ("Wasabi"). No question, Little Mix are in charge here, bringing on board supportive heavyweights like rapper Nicki Minaj for the reggae-club groover "Woman Like Me" and rapper Sharaya J for the buzzy, En Vogue-meets-Beyoncé jam "Strip." Similarly, they juxtapose hip-hop swagger and dusky pop melodies on "Joan of Arc," confidently answering the question of whether they are feminists or not with a resounding "Hell yeah, I am!" -- Matt Collar