Alicia Keys has carved out a name for herself as one of the few young artists who really seem to believe in music that moves the soul.

And so, with the success of her previous three albums, 'Elements of Freedom' has been highly anticipated.

She doesn't disappoint. Keys finds a way to switch her voice up in ways that sometimes make you wonder if it's really her. But there's also a new vulnerability to her vocals and delivery which, when combined with powerful rhythms, reveals that this isn't the same woman who released 'As I Am' a few years ago.

The first single 'Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart' has also received plenty of airplay and, like 'No One' in 20007, nothing out there sounds like it.

With R&B and neo-soul having become diluted versions of what they once were, Keys always manages to bring something new — and carves a niche for herself in the process.

'Elements of Freedom' is a love album, no doubt — but it's not a cheesy R&B love record. Keys explores finding strength within love and admitting when love has gotten the better of you; it's an honest look at love through her eyes.

Her personal life has never affected her career until now, but the news of her relationship with album collaborator Swizz Beatz has been highly criticised because he isn't divorced yet.

So here she speaks about not wanting to wait anymore, confesses to refusing to hide her love anymore. Songs like 'Wait 'Til They See My Smile' and 'Unthinkable (I'm Ready)' give away the fact that she is a woman madly in love and doesn't care who knows.

That attitude — also echoed in the title — continues throughout the album. Keys has finally completely let go of any constraints she may have had in the past.

Her emotional delivery doesn't seem manufactured and if one listens to all of her albums, it's easy to pick up that she's become more comfortable with her voice. She lets it go where it wants even if the result isn't one that sounds crystal clear.

So she doesn't sound quite like herself in parts of the bluesy 'Love Is Blind' — which echoes her previous 'Every Little Bit Hurts' — but the approach works well with the song's mood.

Equally effective is her ballad reinterpretation of 'Empire State of Mind' with Jay-Z which almost made me forget how much I loved the original.

The only track that seems a bit misplaced (but is still fun) is the collaboration with Beyonce on 'Put It In A Love Song'.

It has the same feel as a lot of other Beyonce hits (think 'Single Ladies', 'Video Phone') and takes away from the "grown-up" nature of this album.

I think this was Keys' way of making sure she will still reach the pop market, but the song is better suited to a Beyonce album. Still, I have every reason to believe it will be a hit — so don't judge me when you catch me dancing along.

Right now 'Elements of Freedom' is a staple in my life, reminding me that sometimes the biggest and riskiest changes are the ones that help you create your best work yet.