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Best Neo Soul Music Blog

Throw away romantic inhibition with Ze-LuJ’s seminal single, Say You Love Him

Contemporary RnB artist, Ze-LuJ’s seminal single, Say You Love Him, is the perfect introduction to his sublimely smooth take on neo-soul. The ease of the minimalist 80s-inspired electronic instrumentals allows the single to groove at a meditative pace while the singer-songwriter croons the lyrics that tempt the listener to throw away romantic inhibition and go all in.

The production may be a little raw and simplistic, but that simply gives the intimacy of the single more space to breathe.

You can check out Say You Love Him, which was released in July 2021, for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

True Peace: Israel duo Chen Ron and Yaniv Shnaider drop delightfully exquisite three track release ‘Live at Ma’ale Tzvia’

Returning with a three track release filled to the brim with tremendous style and grace, Chen Ron and Yaniv Shnaider bring us something rather unique with a mixture of hip-hop, chilled jazz music, and a little bit of romantic RnB to sooth our tired minds on ‘Live at Ma’ale Tzvia‘.

Chen Ron is an indie guitarist, music producer, electrical and computer engineer, plus a very highly regarded pianist who is based in Israel.

Chen is well known for his ability to blend together in his productions, various musical genres from Hip-Hop and R&B to Jazz and Neo-Soul.” ~ Chen Ron

All three tracks are of equal high standard quality and hug the speakers just right as ‘Night Breeze‘ flows beautifully into the crisp air with that stunning Masego energy. ‘Mixed Emotions‘ has you grooving around with an extra jazzy sax-filled mood to improve your day, and ‘Bloom‘, is that slow-dance gem which is simply sumptuously loving, that ends off proceedings just right.

In this new Live Session, Chen collaborated with Yaniv Shnaider, an alto and soprano saxophone player in the Jazz, Be-Bop, Pop, and Latin scenes.” ~ Chen Ron

Live at Ma’ale Tzvia‘ from the soulful Israel duo Chen Ron and Yaniv Shnaider, is the first release from this new team and is a rather wonderful effort. Each song is intimately performed and with that rare world class skill, from two true artists who put in that genuine energy on this stunning release. This is one of more pure soundtracks you will hear all year and is that perfect music to lather into late at night, when you need to relax after a long week of hustling hard.

Music with that proper soul and peaceful intentions attached, is always a welcome effort during these strange global times.

Hear more on their YouTube and see what comes next on the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Hold Up: Gregory O Screen guides us into ‘The Steppers Club Suite 3- Steppers Party Mix’ (feat. LeSauce)

Bringing us volume three of this catchy track that will have your body grooving to the tune, Gregory O Screen drops more exciting music for us to get excited about on ‘The Steppers Club Suite 3- Steppers Party Mix(feat. LeSauce).

Gregory O Screen is an experienced Illinois-based indie artist who makes that crisp old school feeling-to-the-soul hip hop that brings you back to the good days.

The Stepper’s Club Suites is three songs, that were originally composed to be an individual instrumental. The original was composed approximately 7 years ago, and shelved for other reasons at that time. Once time permitted, Greg dusted of the original track, and took it to local Music Producer Joseph Wright Jr. at JoRon 2000 Studios, in Midlothian, Illinois.” ~ Gregory O Screen

This is a six-minute fade up all the way with the volume high type of experience, that is all about that all-night sensual journey to keep you into the groove away from the bad moods. You feel like you have just stepped back into a peaceful place, as there is a mellow energy here which has to surely get your feet tapping.

The Steppers Club Suite 3- Steppers Party Mix(feat. LeSauce) from Illinois-based Gregory O Screen, shows us into a party that is full of a welcome that grips your attention. With a soulful ambiance which has you feeling so good again, you feel like you are inside the club and enjoying the ride all night long. Featuring lots of soulful singing and drinks to keep you refreshed, this is a track to dive into the whole evening.

Hear this new track on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Slip back to the 60s with Free Whenever’s ambient psych-pop single, Echo, featuring filo sofia.

Brooklyn-based duo Free Whenever’s latest single, Echo, is a tranquil feat of psych-tinged ambience that pulls you through the blossoming improvised progressions while the featuring artist, filo sofia, brings plenty of dream-pop-noir style to the hypnotically sublime soundscape.

If you fed an Angel Olsen single a few Ambien, the sonic palette wouldn’t be far from the amalgamation of soul, pop, jazz and 60s psych on offer here. You’d be seriously hard-pressed to find mellower vibes than those soulfully extended in Echo. It’s a nostalgia hit like no other. For my sanity’s sake, Echo will be left on repeat.

Echo officially released on October 1st; you can delve into the hazy accordance for yourselves by heading over to Soundcloud. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Juice Patrol squeezed plenty of extra soul into his latest single, Timeline.

Before the grips of winter sink their teeth, get a taste of the Caribbean sun in the up and coming alt hip hop artist Juice Patrol’s third single, Timeline. The ambient grind and the hazy layers construct a mellifluously soothing platform for Juice Patrol’s soft, gentle and endlessly magnetic vocals to dominate as they work through the spoken word urban poetry.

The Ugandan-based solo artist used his fusionist genre and border-spanning sound to prove that soul can spark from the most emotionally fraught experiences. Timeline was inspired by a revolving door relationship and our tendency to turn a blind eye to red flags when affection and history are involved. Instead of giving it all in black and white, Juice Patrol added to the conversation in warm tones and kaleidoscopic colour.

With the depth and wit in the lyrics, Timeline makes you realise just how little nuance there is when it comes to lyrical introspection on toxic relationships. As for the chillwave vibe, you couldn’t ask for a sweeter vibe-out playlist staple.

Timeline is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shannon calls time in her latest single, For Now.

Shannon

If you’ve been noticing the lingering sense of anxiety in the air, you will also note the timeliness of the Folk singer-songwriter Shannon’s single, For Now. The lyrics advocate for self-care while the instrumentals strip the weight from your shoulders with the blissful tones and compassionate melodies.

The bedroom-recorded single that is due for release on October 1st was remotely produced by Rachel Still who discernibly brought plenty of collaborative chemistry to the euphorically soulful, celestially layered single.

In the prelude, there’s a dreamy sense of nostalgia as Shannon exudes the grace of a 1950s chanteuse; as the single progresses, it soulfully picks up modernism on the way.

Check out For Now on Spotify and Apple Music.

Layla Frankel evades genre and embodies soul in her standout single, Dear Jennie.

Layla Frankel’s recent releases may evade genre, but they revolve around style and soul. Her standout single, Dear Jennie, is a stunning testament to her effortlessly uplifting sound. With her influences ranging from Bonnie Raitt to Sheryl Crow to Joni Mitchell to Bob Dylan, she found her own voice in between, and what a voice it is.

With the same ABBA-Esque piano chords that allowed the Manic Street Preachers to get to the top of the album charts when they used them in their latest album, The Ultra Vid Lament, Dear Jennie brings just as much euphoria with her complexly layered sound that indoctrinates unpredictable progressions, cathartic crescendos and sheer vocal dynamism.

Dear Jennie is available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MoonLee brings the funk in his hip hop track, Lights Camera Action.

Any artist taking inspiration from the vastness of the universe is worth taking a chance on; we’re all too glad that we delved into MoonLee’s standout single, Lights Camera Action, from his latest album Moonrise.

With his intellectual approach to hip hop that makes reclamations from the darkness to bring vibrance, Lights Camera Action is as infectious as a dance hit as it is soulful. It is all too easy to quote good vibe tropes in lyrics but you immediately get the sense that the single came from an infinitely more mindful place that acknowledges the darkness before defiantly resisting it with a euphoric track that brings the soul around the romantically inclined sticky-sweet sentiment.

Lights Camera Action is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sir Rizzy Royale – The Real: The Ultimate Hip Hop Aphrodisiac

Sir Rizzy Royale’s standout 2021 single, The Real, speaks to the soul as much as it connects with you on an intellectual level. With the smooth jazzy vibes, sinking into The Real is as easy as breathing. When the rap bars kick in, you will already be lost in the amorous grooves.

The romanticism-driven melodic hip hop track evades the usual bravado that ends up in most rap lyrics, The Real strips Sir Rizzy Royale bare, and you can’t help falling for what you see. It makes a lot of sense that he’s been a poet from a young age; his slick wordplay is practically an aphrodisiac.

Check out The Real and all of Sir Rizzy Royale’s standout singles on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alt Hip Hop Luminary XENO Waxes Lyrical in His Evocative Feat of Soul-Infused Trip Hop METHUSELAH

Finding hip hop that hits as hard as much as it inspires doesn’t happen every day, and that is just one of the reasons to delve into the sophomore album from the alt-rap revolutionary XENO.

His latest album, TRANSCENDENCE, fuses elements of soul, trip-hop and alt-electronica to feed the soul a cuisine that it won’t be accustomed to but will quickly learn to crave.

The lead single, METHUSELAH starts with minor piano keys and phantasmal vocals swathed in atmospheric effect; when the beat kicks in, it’s impossible not to get caught up within the trippy multi-layered high vibe hit. Every ounce of attitude in the mix reflects XENO’s intent as an artist; to promote positivity and passion and give power to those in pursuit of their dreams.

Nothing quite compares to an exceptionally talented artist urging their audience to feed their hunger.

XENO’s album, TRANSCENDENCE, is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast