Before he became known as a consummate balladeer—a la "Kiss From a Rose," "Prayer for the Dying" and "Crazy"—Seal was a staple in Britain's rave scene, gaining acclaim as the vocalist on Adamski's 1990 "Killer." His fifth album, "System," due Nov. 13, is a professed return to roots. Working with Jonathan Price, the musical muse behind Madonna's "Confessions on a Dancefloor," first single "Amazing" is a joyous, straight-ahead blur of beats: a timeless mesh of synthesizers, driving tempo and a melody so crisply executed that every damn note is a hook. How refreshing to hear a song whose original production is a proud club thriller: not a ballad, hip-hop anthem or rocker sheepishly rebuilt and repackaged as a remix. The world will embrace "Amazing" with open arms—with one potential exception. Let's hope U.S. programmers get over their irritating aversion to dance music and hear one of the most obvious hits of the year. —Chuck Taylor