- I wonder if Erykah Badu has ever struggled with her own relevance. I’m going to guess a hard no. The woman is the queen of re-invention done right, as in the exact opposite of Madonna. Rather than completely destroying past selves, she opts for subtle alterations in response to the world around her. It seems only natural then for Badu to turn the cultural moment that is Drake and his track Hotline Bling into her first proper release since 2010’s excellent New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh.

But You Caint Use My Phone is an eleven track creative burst critiquing the perpetually connected era (replete with a monologue about cellphones killing the bees, man) recorded in her home in Dallas, Texas. The whole output was catalysed by Badu's rework of Hotline Bling, renamed Cell U Lar Device, and it is absolutely the only one of the deluge of internet-breaking covers worth listening to. Drake actually lends a verse on U Used to Call Me, which I guess is to be expected because when Erykah Badu calls, you answer the motherfucking phone. The Toronto rapper/walking meme isn't the only big name feature. Andre 3000 pops up on the final track and pretty effortlessly blows Drizzy's contribution out of the water.

The full mixtape is a fleshed out version of the plush electronic r'n'b that defines Cell U Lar Device, with Badu's playfully auto-tuned vocals adding another dimension to her signature neo-soul. Weirdly this doesn't take the edge off her restrained, sultry sound, rather, inverting it for the digital age. Mr Telephone Man is the only track giving off single vibes, with its atmospheric downtempo production bringing it to the fore, the newest sounding track of the mix. Lyrically the mixtape doesn’t break new ground, and most tracks feature Badu riffing off one central stanza, not pushing herself too hard on this front.

The driver of Badu’s recurrent success is her understanding of what works for her, and to call this release a pleasant surprise is an understatement. Badu has never been one to shy away from meta, album-spanning thematic stretches and really nails the sound and the concept. Viva la Badu.

- Grace Pashley.