After a 6-year hiatus, Bay Area soulstress Goapele is back with her fourth studio album Break of Dawn, the follow-up to 2005′s Change It All. Dawn, formerly titled Milk & Honey, is being released via Skyblaze and Decon Records. Malay, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers and Drumma Boy are among the producers who contributed to the album. Dan Electric and Teddy Thunderbolt are responsible for the album’s official first single “Play.”

“One of my goals for the newest project Break of Dawn was to be more uninhabited,” she explains. “I came into this business as a young woman who wanted to be taken seriously for my music, but, now I’m more willing to share my sexiness as well. I realize that it’s possible to be both complex and provocative.”

Break of Dawn opens with sensual tunes “Play” and “Tears On My Pillow” (Bobby Ozuna & Kerry “Krucial” Brothers). One track deals with Goapele “playing” with her lover, where the following deals with her spilling feelings of sorrow on her pillow. Even when singing about heartbreak, her vocals are stimulating.

“How you were licking your lips, I could tell you were danger,” she sings on the snare heavy “Undertow” (Malay). There’s always something intriguing about Judases. Next comes the title track, boasting a funky production and ethereal vocals.

“Hush” (Krucial) is one of the more personal tracks on the album. Goapele sings away her daughter’s blues, including an absent father and society’s woes. “I know your daddy is gone, maybe your daddy was wrong. Listen now baby, your mama will take care of you,” she sings.

What’s an album without a Prince-inspired, funky baseline-boasting record? According to “Money” (Malay), Goapele picked up the pieces broken by her baby’s father: “Credit cards don’t mean a thing” and “Money isn’t fail proof like our love is.” Next, on the guitar-driven “Pieces” (Dan Electric), Goapele falls into pieces, lingering from the lost of a loved one (my interpretation).

The club-ready “Right Here” (Drumma Boy) and trippy “Milk & Honey” (Bedrock) are before the ultimate track, “Cupcake.”

Unlike many contemporary artists, Goapele’s music encompasses romance, love and confliction, delivered seductively, sensually and soothingly. Compared to her past efforts, Break of Dawn seems more fearless and liberating for the mellow singer.

My only gripe with the album is the amount of songs. After such a long absence, an album with only ten songs is quite nerve-racking. They are a solid collection, but most could have been heard prior to the album’s release. Goapele, I’m hoping you won’t go on a similar extended hiatus in the future, but if you decide to, a freEP here or a mixtape there won’t harm anything.

Standouts: “Undertow,” “Tears On My Pillow” & “Right Here”

Genius Report: A-

Order Break of Dawn here for only $7.99.

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