Browsing Tag

NeoSoul

Chazz Oliver & Amanda Marie dug deep in the trenches of their soul to come up gold with their single, Feelin’ Fine

Posted on 16 April 2023

In their latest single, Feelin’ Fine, the neo-soul sensations Chazz Oliver and Amanda Marie flipped the script on feel-good RnB. Instead of creating another run-of-the-mill track soul track to flood your psyche with superficial positivity, the dynamic collaborative duo dug deep into the trenches of their impassioned imagination.

If you have ever known true love, you will also know that it is synonymous with the compulsion to make reality glisten around whoever stirred those feelings in you; their happiness not only becomes paramount, but your sanctity rides on it. Feelin’ Fine mellifluously flows through the groove pockets around Amanda Marie’s divinely magnetic vocal lines to send compassionately sweet vibes surging through your senses. The London-hailing artist isn’t an icon in the making, she’s fully and flawlessly formed.

Feelin’ Fine is due for official release on April 14; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rene Bonet just wants to love us in their latest single

Posted on 22 April 2021

Rene Bonet’s new single ‘I Just Wanna Love You’ is a deliciously sexy, sultry little slice of R&B Hip Hop in the style of Missy Elliot or Erykah Badu, chilled out and relaxed yet losing none of its energy for that.

Poetic lyrics mix with a storytelling flow and an intimate, confessional feel; it’s soulful at the same time as having that mix of stylistic and cultural influences which gives music that individual, authentic feeling. There’s a delicious cadence to her delivery, a delicate use of rhyme – or ‘not-rhyme’ which gives her songwriting a unique quality, conveying emotion and spirit at the same time as entertaining. You can hear the influence of producer Alvin Speights, with whom Bonet has worked; it’s a masterful, well-produced, single.

You can hear ‘I Just Want To Love You’ on YouTube; follow Rene Bonet here or on Twitter.

Review by Alex Holmes

Brianne Matthews – Holding On: Modern and Minimalist RnB

Posted on 17 April 2021

Holding On is just one of the tender tracks to feature on RnB artist Brianne Matthews’ debut EP, ‘Metanoia’. With stripped-back instrumentals, plenty of the focus falls upon Brianne Matthews’  vocals that pull old school soul styles into a modern and minimalist production. The experimentation with spatial effect mixed with the compelling message that runs through the lyricism, reminding you that if you feel lost while tethered to the past, you’re not alone, is sure to resonate.

The case made in Holding On becomes even more convincing through the addition of the male vocals that add plenty of baritone soul to the mix that was orchestrated to stay with you long after it fades; it’s safe to say that the breaking artist was successful.

Holding On is now available to stream via Spotify. For more info, head over to Brianne Matthews’ official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

About ‘Last Night’ – Beatnik drop us some deep cut soulful grooves.

Posted on 10 April 2021

There’s an immediate familiarity around Beatnik to anyone who’s ever whiled away their entire teenage school holidays playing the old coin-op road-race game ‘OutRun’ over and over, or spent, say, 29 hours straight watching 70’s cop-show re-runs on Paramount. Not that we’ve done either, of course. Heaven forbid. But it’s exactly that sort of jazzy, funky, 70’s disco-tinged soulful chill that leaps out of the speakers when hitting ‘play’ on ‘Last Night’; a deep-groove old-school funk-pop dance track, all wandering bass, off-beat drum fills, syncopated Nile Rodgers-style guitar chords, Rhodes piano, and stabs of perfect, jazzy brass, all underlying keyboard/vocalist Peter LaBarge’s awesome soulful vocal delivery.

It’s an absolute killer of a track, a bouncy, beach-and-palm-tree infused love letter to South Florida wrapped up in Acid Jazz Brand New Heavies Chic-meets-Jamiroquai catchiness; we’ve been humming the chorus refrain from ‘Last Night’ all day since first listening to the track, and – given the amount of music we get to review – there doesn’t get much higher praise than that.

‘Last Night’ is taken from Beatnik’s ‘Night Shift’ EP, due for release on April 1st. You can pre-save ‘Night Shift’ through BandCamp now, listen to ‘Last Night’ on Spotify, and follow Beatnik on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Marcus Brookins uses gospel for wisdom and blues for rhythm in their latest RnB soul track ‘Made Man?’

Posted on 25 March 2021

With gospel feeding into their nuanced lyricism and old school blues weaving into their RnB grooves, each of Marcus Brookins’ tracks is a smorgasbord of soul, that goes much further than offering tonal comfort.

The perfect introduction to their connectable style is the lead track ‘Made Man?’ from their 2021 release, ‘Roof Top Sessions’. The imagery which Marcus Brookins can conjure with their enlightened and humbled lyricism is animated by their soft vocal timbre which is never imposing. Instead, Made Man? is a gravitas-filled release that keeps drawing you in and allowing you to pick out new wisdom with each hit.

Made Man? Is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ivan Ortega crosses borders and breaks boundaries with his Latin soul pop single ‘Sunday Morning’

Posted on 26 February 2021

The evolution of Latin pop has a brand-new trajectory after Ivan Ortega released their latest single ‘Sunday Morning’. Sunday may be the most sung-about morning of the week but sharing Sunday Morning vibes with Ivan Ortega’s funk-layered mix will definitely break up any weekly monotony you’re feeling. It’s a 3-minute escape into straight-from-the-soul passion paired with unforgettably mellifluous melodies which are far too tempting to resist sinking into. The staccato chords pull you in, while Ivan Ortega’s vocals make sure you stay grounded.

With hints of hip hop, reggae, r&b and pop all weaved into the cathartic high-vibe single, it’s clear that Ivan Ortega creates without restraint.

While some artists write lyrics which leave people with unrealistic romantic expectations, Ivan Ortega remains unapologetically authentic. Between the deep grooves and soulful accordance, you’ll find hints of gritty salacious passion which allows this seductively sweet sun-soaked track to resonate with realism.

Sunday Morning is available to stream on all platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Angelique ‘Let Go’ the new single from her stunning album ‘Grows Back’

Posted on 26 December 2020

Louisiana-born singer-songwriter Angelique puts her classically-trained, three-octave range to great use on her new single ‘Let Go’, a sultry, sensual R&B number with a serious soulful groove and the clever use of heavily phased synth parts and staccato stop-starts to the bass highlighting the power and timbre of Angelique’s voice.

There’s some serious Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, or the much-lamented Whitney Houston vibes across the track, deep, soaring, overlapping vocals mixing with thumping bass and a trappy little drum pattern, choral backing vocals sitting perfectly underneath Angelique’s lead. ‘Let Go’ is the perfect showcase to Angelique’s new album ‘Grows Back’, a mix of chilled R&B and upbeat disco-influenced groove. The future looks extremely bright for Angelique.

Hear ‘Let Go’, and the rest of ‘Grows Back’, on Spotify. Follow Angelique on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Cedriss – Beautiful Queen: Sultrily Flavoured RnB-Inspired Pop

Posted on 16 November 2020

Possibly the most keenly-awaited and anticipated album of Haitian-born singer-songwriter Cedriss’ career, ‘Golden Child’ drops in late November. Following on from the hit lead single ‘Woah’ comes ‘Beautiful Queen’, a deliciously sexy and sultry chilled helping of R&B-inspired pop that’s a perfect flavour of the album.

A mix of Hip Hop, Reggae, and R&B, and taking in Cedriss’ influences such as Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, ‘Beautiful Queen’ is a gorgeously chilled, expressive love song. The sing-song vocal sitting atop a backing track laced with almost calypso strings, mellow jazzy bass, and snappy snare beats. ‘Golden Child’ is Cedriss’ first full album; ‘Beautiful Queen’ is the stunning, perfect taster.

Find out more about the artist at https://cedrissmusic.info or follow on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Amber Prothero shows us her ‘Superpowers’

Posted on 13 November 2020
Amber Prothero

Jazzy, chilled and mellow, and kicking off with a beautifully laid-back saxophone solo over staccato picked guitars before Prothero’s smoky vocal arrives in force, ‘Superpowers’ is the perfect showcase for Prothero’s soaring, effortless talent. There’s hints of Norah Jones, Sara Bareilles, and even old-school chanteuses like Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, or Billie Holiday in 23-year-old Prothero’s delivery, but there’s modernity too – maybe a hint of chilled Christina Aguilera or Gwen Stefani in the poppiness that sits on top of the jazz progressions, with a little nod to contemporary R&B and dubstep, too.

Sexy, sultry, and sassy overall ‘Superpowers’ is a perfect blend of Prothero’s vocal prowess, songwriting and musicianship, and a stunning mix of classic smoky jazz and modern pop.

You can follow Amber Prothero on Facebook and Instagram.

Ahead of the release of Superpowers, check out her earlier tracks on SoundCloud.

Review by Alex Holmes

Let Cliff Beach take you to church with their latest single ‘Black Moses’

Posted on 12 November 2020

Any artist who can compel you to contort a grin with the first vocal note is worth their weight in aural gold, admittedly, that doesn’t happen all too often, so you may as well hit play on Cliff Beach’s latest single Black Moses.

Cliff Beach may not have had Trent Reznor producing his track, but there are plenty of reminiscences in Black Moses and Saul Williams’ hit Black Jesus. The same playful enigmatic attitude runs through, but with Black Moses, there are lashings of Funk found in the chorally compelling tones which will take you to church as the high-vibe hit unfolds.

You can check out Black Moses for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast