Mabel, "Mabel (Mixtape)" – Album Review [4/5]

Content Guide

I have to say, it is always refreshing to watch an artist strip away the gloss and return to what made them special in the first place. That’s exactly what Mabel does on her self-titled mixtape, a 25-minute collection that feels like the most honest thing she’s released since her breakthrough. After years of chasing chart positions and perfecting her mainstream pop formula, Mabel Alabama-Pearl McVey has made what she calls a “toxic love letter to my 10 years in the industry,” and honestly, it’s about time.

The daughter of Neneh Cherry and producer Cameron McVey has always carried the weight of musical DNA that could fill a small concert hall. Her family tree reads like a who’s who of innovative musicians, from her step-grandfather Don Cherry’s jazz pioneering to her uncle Eagle-Eye’s Swedish pop success. But for all that heritage, Mabel’s career has been defined by her own complicated relationship with authenticity versus commercial success. This mixtape feels like her finally reconciling those two forces.

The homecoming she needed to make

When Mabel burst onto the scene in 2015 with “Know Me Better,” there was something raw and unpolished about her approach that felt genuinely exciting. That energy carried through her 2017 mixtape “Ivy to Roses,” but seemed to get progressively smoothed over as she climbed the charts. Her 2019 debut album “High Expectations” delivered the hits she needed, with “Don’t Call Me Up” becoming her biggest commercial success, but it often felt like she was performing a version of herself rather than actually being herself.

The 2022 album “About Last Night…” pushed further into dance-pop territory. It drew heavily from ballroom culture and 90s house music and it revealed her growth as a performer and her willingness to experiment, something still felt calculated about it. The production was pristine, the concept was clear, and it performed well commercially, but where was the Mabel who had something urgent to say?

She’s right here on this new mixtape, apparently. Recorded largely at her home studio with a small circle of trusted collaborators, this feels like the first time in years that Mabel has made music primarily for herself. The result is messier, more vulnerable, and infinitely more compelling than anything she’s done since those early days.

Production choices that finally make sense

Working primarily with Oscar Scheller and Arthur Bean, Mabel has crafted a sound that feels both contemporary and timeless. Scheller, known for his work with PinkPantheress and Shygirl, brings a knack for creating atmospheric, slightly off-kilter production that gives these songs room to breathe. Bean, who’s worked with Central Cee, adds an understanding of UK urban sounds that helps ground Mabel’s more experimental instincts.

The production approach here is deliberately loose and textured. Instead of the highly polished sheen of her recent albums, these tracks feel lived-in and human. The drums hit differently, the basslines have more character, and there’s a warmth to the overall sound that suggests these songs were made in a space where Mabel felt comfortable being herself.

Take “Turn Me Up,” where washed-out guitars float over off-kilter percussion while Mabel’s vocals weave in and out of the mix like she’s singing directly into your ear. The production creates this intimate space where her voice can be vulnerable without feeling exposed. It’s the kind of production choice that prioritizes emotion over radio-friendly polish, and it works beautifully.

Track-by-track journey through a decade of growth

The mixtape opens with “January 19,” a track that immediately establishes the more introspective tone Mabel is going for here. Built around Oscar Scheller’s atmospheric production, the song finds her reflecting on the pressures of the music industry and the constant need for external validation. Her vocals here are more conversational than performative, like she’s working through these thoughts in real time rather than delivering a pre-planned message.

“Right On Time” picks up the pace slightly while maintaining the intimate feel. The track serves as something of a mission statement for this phase of her career – she’s exactly where she needs to be, doing exactly what she needs to do, regardless of outside expectations. The production builds gradually, creating space for Mabel’s voice to move from quiet reflection to something approaching triumph.

The real standout moment comes with “Lay Me Down,” which might be the most emotionally direct song Mabel has ever recorded. Over minimal production that lets every vocal nuance shine through, she examines the exhaustion that comes with constantly performing a version of yourself for public consumption. The way she delivers the line about being tired of pretending hits with genuine weight – this isn’t manufactured vulnerability for commercial purposes, this is real exhaustion being channeled into something beautiful.

“Run Me Down” shifts into slightly more uptempo territory while maintaining the mixtape’s overall mood. The track explores themes of being worn down by industry pressures and toxic relationships, both professional and personal. Arthur Bean’s production here creates this simmering tension that perfectly matches Mabel’s increasingly urgent vocal delivery.

The mixtape’s explosive center

“Turn Me Up” serves as the mixtape’s emotional centerpiece, dealing with what Mabel describes as “the imperfect side of relationships.” The production creates this dreamy, almost hypnotic backdrop that allows her voice to float and dive in ways that feel completely natural. This is Mabel at her most unguarded, exploring the messiness of human connection without trying to wrap it up in a neat bow.

“Venus” brings some of the mixtape’s most interesting production choices, with a bassy electronic beat that provides the foundation for some genuinely sultry vocals. This track shows that Mabel can still bring the heat when she wants to, but now it feels earned rather than performed. The confidence here comes from a different place than on her previous work – this isn’t confidence in her ability to deliver what’s expected, this is confidence in her right to express herself however she chooses.

“Love Me Gentle” might be the mixtape’s most musically adventurous track, incorporating afrobeats influences in a way that feels natural rather than calculated. Co-produced by Mabel herself alongside Arthur Bean, the track showcases her growing confidence as a creative force beyond just vocals. The way she pleads for gentleness and understanding feels genuinely vulnerable, especially when set against production that could easily support something more aggressive.

The collaboration that works perfectly

“Benz” featuring Clavish represents the mixtape’s only guest appearance, and it’s a smart choice. Rather than bringing in a big name for commercial appeal, Mabel chose a UK rapper whose style complements rather than overshadows her own approach. Arthur Bean’s production creates this measured, simmering energy that gives both artists space to do their best work.

Clavish brings a measured flow that plays perfectly against Mabel’s more melodic approach, and the chemistry between them feels genuine rather than manufactured. The track deals with luxury and success, but through the lens of two artists who understand the costs that come with both. It’s the kind of collaboration that enhances both artists rather than just creating a moment.

The perfect conclusion

The mixtape closes with “Is It Love?”, which brings everything full circle in the most satisfying way possible. Over minimal production, Mabel questions everything – her relationship with music, with success, with love itself. But rather than ending on a note of despair, there’s something hopeful about the uncertainty. She’s learned to be comfortable with not having all the answers, and that comfort translates into some of her most compelling vocal work.

The way she delivers the final lines suggests someone who has found peace with the questions rather than frantically searching for answers. It’s a mature ending to a mixtape that feels like a genuine artistic statement rather than a commercial product.

Vocal performance that finally feels authentic

Throughout the mixtape, Mabel’s vocal performance feels more natural and lived-in than it has in years. Gone are the oversized runs and vocal gymnastics that sometimes felt like she was proving something to someone. Instead, she uses her voice as a tool for communication rather than demonstration.

Her lower register gets more attention here, and it’s where she sounds most comfortable. When she builds to her higher notes, it feels like a natural emotional response rather than a calculated moment of vocal drama. The conversational quality of her delivery makes even the most personal revelations feel like intimate conversations rather than public confessions.

Songwriting that digs deeper

The songwriting across the mixtape shows real growth in Mabel’s willingness to examine her own motivations and mistakes. Rather than the more surface-level explorations of her previous work, these songs dig into the psychological costs of success and the difficulty of maintaining authentic relationships when your entire public identity feels constructed.

Her collaborations with her writing partners feel more equal here, this isn’t Mabel being served songs by professional hitmakers, this is Mabel working with people who understand her vision and can help her articulate it. The result is a collection of songs that feel genuinely personal while still being musically compelling.

How this fits into her journey

This mixtape represents Mabel at a crossroads, and she’s chosen the more interesting path. After years of pursuing mainstream success with increasing levels of calculation, she’s made something that prioritizes authenticity over commercial appeal. The timing makes sense – she’s achieved the chart success she was chasing, won the awards, accumulated the streams. Now she can afford to make music that matters to her personally.

The return to the mixtape format feels significant too. Mixtapes traditionally represent artists at their most unfiltered, and Mabel seems to understand that she needed to strip away the album format’s expectations to rediscover what made her special in the first place.

The production quality that serves the songs

The overall production quality prioritizes character over perfection, and it’s exactly the right choice. These songs benefit from feeling slightly rough around the edges, like they were captured in moments of genuine inspiration rather than labored over until they matched some predetermined template.

The mixing creates intimate spaces where Mabel’s voice can exist naturally rather than being processed into a generic pop vocal sound. You can hear the room tone, the slight imperfections, the humanity that gets polished away in bigger productions. It’s the kind of approach that makes you lean in rather than letting the music fade into background noise.

Overall assessment and final thoughts

This mixtape succeeds because it finally answers the question of who Mabel is when she’s not trying to be anything else. The answer turns out to be someone more interesting, more complex, and more compelling than the carefully managed pop star persona she’s been developing.

At 25 minutes, the mixtape never overstays its welcome or dilutes its impact with filler tracks. Every song serves the larger purpose of reintroducing Mabel as an artist whose primary concern is honest expression rather than commercial success. The sequencing creates a journey that feels complete despite its brevity.

This feels like the reset Mabel needed, both creatively and personally. After a decade in the industry, she’s finally made something that doesn’t feel like it was designed to satisfy anyone but herself. The irony is that this approach has resulted in her most satisfying work yet – music that succeeds commercially because it succeeds personally, rather than the other way around.

For longtime fans who’ve been waiting for Mabel to live up to her early promise, this mixtape delivers in ways her albums haven’t quite managed. For newer listeners discovering her through this release, they’re getting introduced to an artist at her most compelling and authentic.

The mixtape stands as proof that sometimes the best career move is to stop making career moves and just make music that means something to you. Mabel has finally learned that lesson, and the results speak for themselves.

Listen To “Mabel (Mixtape)” By Mabel

Emily Harris

Journalist at Contact Me

Currently living between Manchester and London. Love going to gigs and finding new music.

Mabel, “Mabel (Mixtape)” – Album Review [4/5]