Browsing Tag

r&b

November Rose – Tangerine Dream: Soul Trap to Send You Down the Rabbit Hole

Posted on 15 April 2018

Just another R&B & Soul artist?

Thankfully not.

With Tangerine Dream, November Rose (AKA Anthony Daniel) created a beautiful monster of that puts into perspective just how most R&B artists are indistinguishable from one another. After checking out November Rose’s debut track I knew that I could quite happily drink in an entire album of his experimentally vibrant soundscape. Rose’s magnetic melodies of Trap and Drum phases are as sharp as music gets, it’s as though he has selected the best vibes from a handful of genres to create a sensationally pioneering chilled out Trap Soul track.

The prelude was almost enough to make me feel like I’d gone down the rabbit hole and come out the other side in a black and white Noir film, yet the track progresses through a labyrinth of hooks and futuristically immersive breakdowns, all without the requirement of prominent vocals.

How November Rose hasn’t broken the internet with his sound, I will never understand. So, show the Atlanta Georgia based musical deity some love and drink in his electric sounds. You can check out November Rose’s blinding debut track Tangerine Dream on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

GrindMuzic – Care A Soulful R&B Mixtape That Bleeds Sensuality

Posted on 15 April 2018

The production quality for GrindMuzic’s new track Care which was released March 2018 was absolutely flawless, through deft production skills a perfectly rounded R&B Soul anthem was created. Grindmuzic took inspiration from artists such as Chris Brown, Bryson Taylor and Drake to create a sensual mix. However, even though the sensuality was present in the track as you’d expect, the sentiment behind the track was a little weak for my liking I’m not sure I 100% ‘got’ what the track was about above the swirly Trap and smash of the 808’s. If truth be told, it was an active effort to tune into the lyrics rather than just letting them come to you. I’m not sure if that’s due to a lack of sentiment, or the lyrics getting a little lost in the mix, but for me it was more than a little frustrating.

Also, the way the track completely cuts out after two minutes only to kick in again for 37 seconds was a little baffling. In short, I’m confused, yet, GrindMuzic’s debut track Care has already got over 10k streams on SoundCloud, so he must be doing something right!

You can check out Care by GrindMuzic on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jerry Gari – I Pray Alone: The R&B Rule Book is Well & Truly Out the Window

Posted on 29 March 2018

I could describe Jerry Gari’s latest debut track I Pray Alone as a sensational R&B Soul track, but that’s not even close to hitting the mark of Jerry Gari’s genre-warping rhythms. It’s simple, it’s understated and its absolute perfection. In fact, I haven’t heard a track which incorporates so many immersive elements since discovering Paul Banks (Interpol) and Wu Tang Clan Rapper RZA’s collaboration.

With I Pray Alone, Michigan based producer Jerry Gari has raised his game to the next level, whilst his other Electronica tracks are highly resonant, he’s found his signature style with the urban licks of this track. His less than conventional lyrical style grips you like a vice as you revel in the peculiarity that’s riddled in the tracks mix. The solid yet almost down-tempo track is the perfect platform for Jerry Gari to lay down his soul drenched vocals. Before I listened to I Pray Alone I had no idea of the synergy that could be created through an infusion of R&B Soul with Synth addled Electronica. But one things for sure, no one could do it sweeter than Jerry Gari

You can check out I Pray Alone on SoundCloud

To download I Pray Alone, along with Jerry Gari’s earlier tracks head on over to BandCamp

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DeJay Williams – Money: Wild Cherry Meets N.W.A

Posted on 19 February 2018

DeJay Williams’ latest R&B & Soul track ‘Money’, can only be described as being catapulted back and forth between iconic nostalgia and contemporary pioneering sound. At points you’re taken right back to Hip Hop roots as the song progresses into a track as infectious as N.W.A’s Straight out of Compton, other’s, you’re drenched in the same infectious Funk as previously offered by Wild Cherry with Play That Funky Music. Whilst this eclectic mix of sounds may not be everyone’s cup of tea, you can’t dispute the fact that it’s a fresh new flavour and the mind behind the track is a great contemporary contender in the scene. Featured in the track are the sensational vocals from Funk Soul singers Trameka Hawkins and Mellokie who perfectly round off this track.

The Oklahoma based singer song writer and producer dropped Money as his debut track on February 6th 2018, whilst it’s not typical of his earlier releases, I’d say that this collaboration was enough to put the independent artist on the map.

You can check out DeJay Williams’ Soulful new mix Money on Soundcloud using the link below:

https://soundcloud.com/biglil-dj/01-money

Review by Amelia Vandergast

705 – Put It on Me: A Clash of Cultures

Posted on 1 January 2018

705 is the latest musical venture of a delectably talented underground London based World music artist. It’s almost impossible to deconstruct this track with it’s eclectic base of influences.

The sound behind Put It on Me is packed with pounding momentum as it transgresses through it’s range of styles, encapsulating you in it’s feverish beat which is loosely defined by the Hip Hop, Reggae & R&B genre, influenced by artists such as Tupac, 50 Cent and Michael Jackson amongst 70’s reggae artists to create a playful euphoric sound.

The enigmatic artist has kept on the London underground with his music where he shares his upbeat energy with the crowd curtesy of his afrobeat’s styling which defines his lyrical flow that complements a perfectly rounded beat that rings with synergetic momentum.

Check out the EP 7Heaven via Spotify now:

open.spotify.com/track/49nKtc88OC…JY5D?si=8H1UcQu0

Or head on over to 705’s official website for more information on tours and upcoming releases:

https://www.705beats.com/

Salvatore Manalo – Rain: Winters Antidote

Posted on 17 December 2017

Through the impossibly competitive music scene of Portland, Oregon emerges Salvatore Manalo with his debut track Rain.

It’s a mixed bag of genres, but when you get to the bridge, putting a label on his majestic sound quickly floats to the back of your mind as you find yourself fully attuned to his sound. With riffs more fitting in Rock tracks this R&B Funk Pop enigma allows the track to flow with sweet unpredictability.

The entire ensemble is flawless, from the vocals to the instrumentals, the lyrics to the Jazz vibes that taint the track with poignantly upbeat symphonies. I’m really not sure how Manalo remains on the underground with such an array of talent. There’s a true narrative to his emotions which he explores through his command of rhythm.

Sadly, Rain falls under the category of the type of track that you’re likely to hear whilst dining at an upmarket restaurant or wandering round the supermarket. It’s not a sound that you’d hear in trendy cocktail bars or being spoken about fondly by teenagers. Never the less, if you’re looking for a sound to dispel the winter blues look no further! (Despite what your friends may think)

https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-manalo/5-rain/s-FPEy3?in=salvatore-manalo/sets/salvatore-ep/s-GfAbd

Fam – Hey Fam: Nostalgic R&B Lullabies

Posted on 4 December 2017

Fam released his debut EP mid-November, dubbing himself as a R&B hopeful. Whilst there’s undoubtedly some talent underneath the surface of his tracks, they could do with some fine tuning. Tracks such as ‘Friends Don’t Leave Friends’, have all the key elements that you’d expect from a R&B and Soul track, but they appear in a sporadic fashion. The upbeat tempo rattles throughout the track with scarce melody. The layering of the vocals is just a little too much to fathom for it to be a truly enjoyable track. The back beat is relatively tinny, which is a shame for the Atlanta based singer songwriter.

His vocal ability offers promise, alongside the dubious electronic effects. With a higher production quality, I have no doubt that Fam could rise up in the R&B ranks to become a star, once he’s truly mastered the woozy lullaby sound that he’s aiming for. His sound is heavily influenced by a mix of nostalgia and euphoria, yet it’s lacking the sincerity that you’d hope for in a track.

I hope to hear more from Fam in the near future once he’s fine tuned his style.

Check out the new EP on the SoundCloud link below:

https://soundcloud.com/user-73905041/sets/hey-fam

The Only Place To Shop

Posted on 1 December 2017

Although The Custom Shop is equally at home blasting out blues, rocking the R&B or soulfully and skilfully navigating Motown tinted waters, Ballads of Yore finds them at their most understated, most chilled and considered. The chorus might be built on bigger dynamics and a fuller band sound but the charm of the song comes in its mellower moments, when pianos skitter and chime and distant saxophones add wonderful musical detail around the edge of the song.

But as finely wrought as the song is it is nothing without the killer vocal to really carry the sonic ball over the musical line and Molly Orlando hits it just right, a masterful mix of subtlety and power, gentle balladry to powerful deliveries. Ballads of Yore is one of those timeless songs, part country, part blues, part rock all mixed in and underplayed to perfection, heavily nostalgic but never cliched, emotive, sensitive and soulful. They don’t make them like that any more!

Defying Gravity with Shakeel



Posted on 17 November 2017

Has R&B ever sounded this smooth? Probably not but the combination of Shakeel and Nef The Pharaoh certainly creates something a bit special as smooth rhythms, mellow vibes and late night grooves weave together into a sound which both ambient and exciting, understated and intoxicating. It echoes with 90’s tonal qualities and 21st century production but is very much a product of the modern R&B genre, looking forward whilst fully understanding the musical traditions  it is a continuation of.


It is easy to try to point at a musical connection between Shakeel and the likes of R Kelly, there is definitely a tip of the hat passing from the newcomer to the old hand but unlike the obvious sleaze that drips from Kelly’s songs, Shakeel manages to navigate similar territory but do so using tease and suggestion rather than out and out crudeness. R&B has long been a genre where you get to say things which might seem out of place in normal conversation, but the art is the language you use and where some people in the same field sound lewd and suggestive, Shakeel instead is all about the tease and the knowing wink.

Second Guess Releases Dynamic Track ‘Second Guess’

Posted on 2 October 2017
https://youtu.be/tzk-Gu7-uQk

Taking a thoughtful and reflective journey through loss and longing, Second Guess has created a down tempo yet dynamic R&B track. Sonically fitting more into the après-club, chill out vibe rather than the energetic dance floor groove, but lyrically it is addictive in its universal message of how hard it is to fill that ex-lover shaped hole in the heart.

Built of hypnotic beats and shimmering guitar chords it is the lyrical message and the rich vocal textures that define the song more than anything else. It shows that often all you need to do is to frame an idea with the bare minimum of musical trappings and understated instrumentation for it to fly most successfully. It also proves that often the most heartfelt and honest ideas deliver the most soulful and relatable results.