When R&B songstress Jhené Aiko surprise-dropped a 90-minute album and a 20-minute short film in September, she capped a three-year process of grief, discovery and exploration. ‘Trip’ is a work of catharsis, inspired by the death of her brother: but a mixture of moods run through the album, from the thoughtful and heartfelt to the reconciliatory and joyful. Sonically, Aiko builds on the template of her alt-R&B sound, radio-ready and familiar; but she expands the palette into something hazy, ambient and often psychedelic, unafraid to go off the rails into a suitably ‘trippy’ experience. The best moments are stripped-back, raw and elegant – brave in the same way that Kelela’s minimalistic futurism can be, masterful in her mood-setting. Back in 2012, Aiko’s breakout EP ‘Sail Out’ featured Vince Staples, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino on the first three tracks: there’s no such collab-heavy attitude behind Aiko’s work now that she’s a threat in her own right, opening for Lana Del Rey, topping Billboard charts and generating a steady stream of buzz.

Thu 8 Feb, 7.30pm at The O2 Institute, 78 Digbeth High Street Birmingham B5 6DY, £22.50 seetickets.com