It's been a long time coming, but America is about to get Sincere. Though it's been a foundation of the U.K. dance scene for more than a year, the mellifluous debut by British two-step phenomenon MJ Cole arrives here Tuesday (April 17). Despite the delay, the 27-year-old producer's sophisticated, precisely crafted tunes sound as fresh now as they did on pre-release dub plates.

Cole could be the first two-stepper to crack the notoriously tight American pop market, leading a charge that will soon include his pals Artful Dodger and Craig David, both of whose debuts are set for summer release. Which isn't to say he's shaking in his skivvies at the challenge.

"I don't feel the whole weight of the scene rests on my shoulders," Cole said. "It's a joint effort for all of us. I'm not that good at predicting the future — I make music." Sincere is the perfect primer for statesiders curious about two-step's groove-oriented blend of slick R&B tones, peppy staccato rhythms reminiscent of drum 'n' bass and sultry house-influenced vocals. Slightly more refined than the often rough-and-tumble two-step (a.k.a. U.K. Garage) that's all the rage in Britain, Sincere tracks such as "Crazy Love," "Attitude" and the title cut don't shy away from the funk while incorporating elements of Cole's classical training.

"I want all those sorts of things in my records, which is why they're probably more musical than other tunes you'll hear around," he explained. "An album lives on the shelves in people's houses. I want it to be something people can listen to at home, something that's got depth and richness and breadth and will hopefully stand the test of time." Having studied piano and oboe since he was a child, and programmed drum machines from the age of 14, Cole (born Matt Coleman) knows his way around a studio well enough to be considered Garage's renaissance man, with Sincere his early masterpiece. In addition to the album's intricate drum programming and crisp, meticulously polished production, Cole also arranged its strings and horns, penned lyrics and handled engineer duties. "I'm into clean sounds. I like to hear everything in a tune," Cole said. "I'm not into big mushy sounds. I come from a classical background mixed with drum 'n' bass and engineering, so all of those things influence my sound. I can't work with other engineers 'cause I have to get my hands on the desk." Performing his music live is a vital component of Cole's art, and he is one of only a few British dance artists to do so. Following a string of U.K. dates opening for Roni Size & Reprazent last year, he plans to bring his show — with a live drummer, bassist, three singers, an MC and Cole on keyboards and sampler-sequencer — here later this year, though no dates are set.

While he hasn't started work on a follow-up to Sincere, Cole said he plans to release a double-CD collection of remixes he's produced for other artists. (A remix of his own "Crazy Love" by the Propellerheads' Alex Gifford will be included on Sincere's first single.) With nearly 100 to choose from the last year alone, it should represent his evolution well. Cole said the compilation would likely come out in the fall.