NEW AMERYKAH PART 2; RETURN OF THE ANKH by ERYKAH BADU

Badu seemingly postponed the release of this album because of the pregnancy and her leading role alongside Mos Def in the indie film, Bobby Zero. Needless to say, Badu's a busy, busy lady. Naturally, the nu-soul singer is tight-lipped about her self-produced sequel to her socially conscious gold album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War). What we can deduce is that the "ankh" subtitle delves more into the spiritual themes of Part One. The Egyptian hieroglyphic means "eternal life" after all. Where the 4th World War comes across as a nod towards the war you have with yourself, Badu says Return of the Ankh deals with a "spiritual and emotional" battle. With a new songwriting approach and a fresh outlook on the world, Badu's newest is sure to be another dazzling touchstone in her already impressive discography.