Photo: Getty

When we first heard about Jay Sean‘s mix-tape project, The Mistress, our first thought was: really?! You don’t see many number one billboard topping pop sensations releasing a free mixtape for their audiences.

The Mistress is a collection of songs and asides that narrate the emotional journey of a cheater’s love affair.

One has to wonder — is the project a metaphor for Jay’s musical journey? Is he contractually committed to his pop anthems while in love with the soulful, deeply emotional R&B of The Mistress?

The British R&B-singer-turned-US-pop star’s latest project is an explosion of romantic, passionate ballads and bump-n-grind tracks that brought Jay Sean his original notoriety in the U.K. The sound and the lyrics are more grown-up and sometimes down right dirty (in the best way).  The Mistress will make America see beyond bubble gum hooks and his famous pout to the Jay Sean his most dedicated fans originally fell in love with.

Jay Sean’s skilled beatboxing paves the way for an urban, sexy line up on The Mistress’ intro, “Rouge a Levres.” There’s a naughtiness in the background whispers that contrasts with the cacophony of beats Jay lays down. The rest of the album follows suit as Jay peels back the layers of a cheater’s guilt ridden pleasure.

“Sex 101″ featuring Tyga is a modern shout out to classic gettin’-it-on songs like Boys2Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.” The seductive cadence of Jay’s voice, step-by-step explanatory lyrics and the varying tempo sets the speed for every (wanna be) Casanova.

At  forty seconds long, ”Yesterday’s” barely counts as a full song. Or so you would think. This sublime a Capella harmony will shut-up anyone who ever doubted Jay Sean as an artist. His effortlessly passionate delivery will give you goosebumps.

“Can’t Fall in Love” is a swooping mid tempo R&B track, sounding not unlike “Love Like This (Eternity)” off his last album, All Or Nothing. The song presents the conflicted emotions that arise when lust starts blossom into love. The eloquent lyrics convey sincere remorse with a touch of self-loathing humor – ”got me thinking with the wrong head” could sound crass in other hands, but here it just emphasizes regret.

Jay also channels a little John Mayer or Jack Johnson in the stripped-down acoustic sounding “Waiting in Vain.” It’s just Jay and a guitar – and that’s all anyone should need.

Ever since he joined Cash Money and topped the charts with “Down,” Jay Sean’s projected a blinged-out glamorous image. In the The Mistress, he strips it all away and shows off his artistic range. The elevated musicality of The Mistress — in theme, lyrical integrity, and vocal maturity — pushes Jay comfortably into the league of musicians like Adele and Beyonce.

The Mistress is out now (for free!) here.