Browsing Tag

Contemporary Rnb

Isla Croll gives us a soulful lesson in love with ‘Irreplaceable’

Posted on 24 December 2020

15-year-old RnB singer-songwriter Isla Croll proves with her latest single ‘irreplaceable’ that maturity in sound and soul is in no way related to the number of decades you’ve been roaming around the planet.

With her tendency to embrace everything from Jazz to Hip Hop to Pop to Funk in her soundscapes, her resolving, emotional and honest tracks speak directly to the soul. Irreplaceable directly speaks to souls recently maimed by feelings of insecurity. Isn’t modern romance just incredible for that?

With a voice so imploring and an artistic intent so pure, she’s made it difficult for any other RnB artists to follow in her footsteps, thus making her sophomore single somewhat of a paradox. The majority of your consciousness may be drawn to her magnetically velvet vocals, but there’s a lot to be said for the intricate Indie Jazz-laden instrumentals which trickle, swell and soar in synergy with Isla Croll’s pitch-perfect harmonies.

You can check out Isla Croll’s inspiring new single for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luke Crimiel is definitely not ‘Lost’ with this timeless R&B take on neo-soul

Posted on 8 December 2020

If being born into a musical family in the performance melting-pot of New Orleans doesn’t predestine you to musical excellence, then I’d wager that very little will. Starting out playing drums in his godfather’s church band at the age of four, Luke Crimiel moved to Los Angeles aged eighteen and pushed his focus into songwriting and performance.

It’s certainly paid off; ‘Lost’, from his new album ‘11th Street’, is an impeccable piece of poppy soul-based R&B, reminiscent of neo-soul contemporaries Kadeem Tyrell, [K S R], or SiR. However, there’s elements of older-school cool influences here too, hints of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and even old-time crooners like Sinatra, Sammy Davis, or Dean Martin.

Danceable, catchy, with a pulsating back-beat and bassline but entirely carried along by Crimiel’s soulful vocal delivery, and harking back to the 70’s and 80’s golden age of gospel-influenced soul whilst at once sounding contemporary and timeless, ‘Lost’ could truly be the launchpad that lets the world find Luke Crimiel.

‘11th Street’ is out now. Check out Luke Crimiel on Spotify and through lukecrimiel.com.

Review by Alex Holmes

JEF P – Pull Up: An Ardently Intoxicating Jazz Infusion

Posted on 30 October 2020

If you think that the artwork to JEF P’s single Pull Up is archaic, just wait until you hear the ardently intoxicating levels of old-school soul in the RnB track.

Pull Up resonates as more than music, you can tell that the Washington-based artist’s audiophilic tendencies heavily influenced the soundscape, but there’s sticky-sweet meta poetry breathing through the melodic verses which swing in perfect tempo with the Jazz-laden instrumentals.

I don’t bound the term ‘masterful’ around lightly, but with Pull Up, it’s impossible to find a more apt adjective for the dreamy, hazy, contemporary vibes.

Pull Up is available to stream via all major platforms through this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feel the love with Kev Cartier’s ardently smooth Hip Hop track “Bomb” featuring Ammo

Posted on 25 October 2020

The chaos in 2020 didn’t strip the romanticism out of RnB Hip Hop, one of the most amorously smooth tracks which dropped this year was undoubtedly Kev Cartier’s passion-soaked hit ‘Bomb’ featuring Ammo.

The light and indulgent sun-kissed rhythms work alongside Kev Cartier’s sultry RnB vocals to offer rhythmic entrancement and plenty of ardent emotion which won’t fail to fill your soul as you listen to the high-vibe choruses.

Despite the accessibility of Bomb, with the contemporary and slick production, there’s no denying that the mix encapsulates the very best of contemporary RnB Hip Hop. Kev Cartier is definitely one to watch.

You can check out the official music video to Kev Cartier’s single Bomb by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Relive your digital traumas with RnB Pop artist Jace Heyman’s debut single “Drunk Text”

Posted on 22 October 2020

If you’ve ever sent a life-ruining drunk text, Jace Heyman’s debut single may bring back some raw memories, but the smooth melodious rhythms offer plenty of consolation.

The Hertford-based R&B singer-songwriter’s debut perfectly encapsulates that hideous feeling of still being in love with someone and feeling your heart break a little bit more when you know that you can’t convey those emotions anymore.

With a sound which grooves along with the contemporary curve and the fact that their first release has added a distinctive voice onto the airwaves, it’s hard not to be excited by the prospect of Jace Heyman’s sophomore single.

Drunk Text is available to stream on all major services via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sedgeley lays down danceable grooves in their latest soul-soaked Pop hit “Dance with Your Lover”

Posted on 22 October 2020

Dancefloors across the globe may remain desolate, but that hasn’t stopped artists such as Sedgeley from producing seductively sweet tracks. Their latest release “Dance with Your Lover” is the amorous escapism that the airwaves have been crying out for.

There’s a beguilingly nostalgic air behind the track which contains plenty of appeal for fans of artists such as Seal, and aural nostalgia is more important now more than ever. It draws us back to a time where our lives weren’t quite so consumed with chaos and uncertainty. The sentimental air to Dance with Your Lover is consuming from the first verse. When the vocal sincerity hits, expect your soul to melt into the organic rhythmic alchemy of this stunningly produced release.

There’s plenty more in the pipeline from the London-based artist in 2020 and beyond. Save a spot on your radar.

You can check out the danceable grooves in Dance with Your Lover by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

RnB artist Pavit Sanghera shows us what Feminist music is really about with “Better Decisions”

Posted on 26 August 2020

There’s been a lot of debate whether Cardi B’s latest track is Feminist. However you definite it, it doesn’t contain a fraction of the empowerment found in Pavit Sanghera’s latest single “Better Decisions”.

It’s a straight-up assassination on Fuckboys who think that sex and respect can’t be synonymous and think you owe their raging hormones your body. Just to reaffirm Pavit Sanghera’s point, you don’t.

Pavit Sanghera’s unapologetic resounding attitude in Better Decisions is something I’ll never forget. The laidback RnB rhythms create the perfect atmosphere to allow the listener to soak up all the empowering enlightenment Pavit Sanghera has to offer. We’ll definitely be reserving her a spot on our radar to see what aural gold she serves up next.

You can check out Better Decisions for yourselves by heading over to Spotify or Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Big Frank – Jealous: Floor-Filling RnB Pop

Posted on 23 August 2020

US RnB Pop artist Big Frank has dropped plenty of fresh hits, but their groovingly euphoric floor-filler “Jealous” is the perfect for their authentically soulful approach to Pop.

The sonic fuzzy synth lines fizz around the snappy danceable beats while Big Frank lays down their playfully harmonic vocals. Jealous may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s plenty of magnetism in Jealous thanks to the high-energy vocals which definitely won’t fail to pull you into the eccentric mix.

If you’re looking for more aural odes to hedonism for your playlists, you’ll strike gold with Jealous.

You can check out Jealous for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Henry – You Don’t Need to Know: Smoothly Sentimental RnB Soul

Posted on 29 July 2020
https://soundcloud.com/henrymbata/you-dont-need-to-know

“You Don’t Need to Know” is the smooth new soulful jam from up and coming Dublin RnB artist Henry. Elements of the past and the future accessibly combine in the soothingly sentimental soundscape.

The tempo may be low, but the level of evocative appeal is off the charts in the stylistic and slick mix which perfectly accommodates Henry’s soft and sensuously harmonious RnB Pop vocals.

Ireland may not be known for its massive RnB scene, but that may be set to change now that Henry is dropping his accordantly soul-soothing hits on the airwaves. He’s irrefutably one to watch. Up and coming RnB artists who can truly revive the genre and make it ooze contemporary appeal are worth their weight in aural gold.

You can check out You Don’t Need to Know for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Up and coming RnB artist Jaye Wood has dropped their amorously sincere single “Trophy Boy”

Posted on 29 July 2020
Jaye Wood

Finding an RnB Pop hit which holds the same level of sincerity as Jaye Wood offered in his latest single Trophy Boy would be like attempting to find a needle in a haystack.

Instead of the usual superficiality offered by love songs, Jaye Wood dug deep lyrically to find sentiments which scream integrity. There’s a smorgasbord of emotion which moves beyond the usual two-dimensional love songs. It recognises that love doesn’t require two perfect infallible people, instead, it requires undying passion. If this sweet summer jam appeased my cold soul, I have plenty of faith that the radio-ready single will warm countless hearts.

Jaye Wood’s latest single Trophy Boy is available to stream on all major streaming services via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast