Browsing Tag

Old School RnB

Let your body and soul talk with ANYAH’s latest RnB single, Last Night

ANYAH’s latest single, Last Night, is a testament to her ability when it comes to redefining the RnB genre with her sultry, multi-layered style that effortlessly intertwines the smooth, nostalgic vibes of old-school RnB with a vibrant Latino pop flair. Her Fil-Am heritage brings an intoxicating diversity to the track which echoes the soulful depths of Aaliyah, the raw emotion of Ashanti, and the rhythmic prowess of Janet Jackson, and transcends mere mimicry.

Educated in the performing arts, the singer-songwriter’s academic prowess shines through in her meticulous craft. Her multilingual vocal ability, spanning German, Italian, French, and Russian, adds a cosmopolitan monocultural mould-smashing sheen to her music, which goes a fair way in enhancing the emotional resonance and appeal of her work. Her background in dance manifests in the rhythmic pulse of Last Night, which guides the listener’s body and heart through a smooth narrative.

The single’s outro is a clever subversion, revealing the entire emotional journey the single took you on to be a voicemail, a twist that lingers in the mind long after the song ends. It is safe to say ANYAH is painting herself as one of the most promising artists in Orlando’s music scene, not just through her music but through her impressive and well-rounded artistry that promises even more depth and surprises in the future.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chuck Starr shows us the beauty in unconditional love with ‘Come Back’, taken from his debut LP.

Chuck Starr

Taken from his debut record, Love Math, Chuck Starr’s sweeter than a sugar rush old-school RnB hit, Come Back, definitively hits the spot.

Come Back stridently yet elegantly runs through all of those jarring and disjointing feelings that can be paralysing at the end of a relationship you never wanted to lose. Yet, its nuance lies within its recognition of self-sabotaging behaviour and proving the beauty in unconditional love. Even in the ears of a romantic cynic, Come Back succeeds in stirring the listener’s soul to match the euphoric soulful swells in the high energy performance.

The Columbus, OH born and raised artist cut his vocal teeth in a church choir before moving to New York to peruse his music career. After the release of his debut record, it is easy to see Starr’s career being a luminous one.

Check out Chuck Starr via his official website, Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

cp howes plays the ‘Situational Worldwide Blues’

cp howes

Wisconsin-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, cp howes, lyrically captured the monotony of a lockdown lifestyle while freeing us from it with his liberatingly soulful infusion of Blues, RnB and Gospel in their latest single ‘Situational Worldwide Blues’.

‘situational worldwide blues’ sounds like it should be a paradox, the clever juxtaposition drives home the devastatingly unifying reality of our lives while refusing the listener to be saddened by it. The honkytonk piano, shimmering organ wails and the unique acoustics of a cigar-box-6-string guitar ensure that nothing but good vibes are transmitted on the airwaves through Situational Worldwide Blues.

You can check out cp howes’ latest single here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Get lost in Byron Freeman’s RnB labyrinth of conflicted emotion offered through their latest single ‘Maze’

‘Maze’ is the latest single to be released by NJ-based artist Byron Freeman which paints a poignant picture of the complexity of the human experience. Conflict runs through the lyrics which are delivered with unadulterated soul so that the listener’s inner conflict can find resolution and validation.

Smooth reverb-soaked Trappy beats trickle away under Byron Freeman’s absorbing vocals which pull you into the tender compassion from the first vocal note. With plenty of space in the verses, there is plenty of room for reflection as Byron Freeman’s evocative soul-deep wisdom meets your own consciousness.

You can check out Byron Freeman’s single Maze for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Damian Eskridge – “Somebody Else”: Soulful West-Coast R&B

Damien ‘the artist formally known as Prmise’ Eskridge’s soulful take on West-Coast R&B in Somebody Else tells the story of a lyin’ and cheatin’ behind-closed-doors affair – “You can be my mistress, baby/ I can be your Mister”. It’s got some groove and melody behind the unapologetically sexual lyrics, the low-down sultry vocals of collaborator Nijahe (“I can say I’m at the movies/you can say you’re at the mall”) adding grit and grind counterpoint to Eskridge’s more silky-smooth delivery.

There’s plenty of space in the track, a little high-end boost giving clarity to the vocals, T-Pain style, between some nice minimalist 808-style hi-hats and handclaps, and yeah, it’s chilled and laid-back, dirty and seductive all at once; pretty much perfect old-school R&B.

You can hear ‘Somebody Else” here.

Review by Alex Holmes