Browsing Tag

soul

Vinlisa: Got Me Good – A Retro-Futurist Refusal to Taint the Purity of R&B Nostalgia

Posted on 8 April 2026

Cambodian-American sensation Vinlisa has opened a temporal gateway back to the hazy, lusty heat of the 90s scene with her standout single, Got Me Good. Now based in Los Angeles after cutting her teeth in the cultural humidity of New Orleans, the artist brings a heavy dose of representation to the R&B landscape. Through reverb-drenched flirtations with contemporary dream pop aesthetics while refusing to taint the purity of the genre’s nostalgia, Got Me Good delivers its retro-futurism with luxe soul. A salacious amount of swagger naturally drips from the deliciously effect-laden vocal harmonies, allowing the lines of synergy and sonic serendipity to blur.

The track moves with a sultry confidence, influenced by the likes of Victoria Monet and Kehlani, but not caged by the usual trappings of assimilation. Vinlisa pushes past conventional boundaries to offer something far more intoxicating. Since swapping the Big Easy for the West Coast, she has refined a signature style where heartfelt narratives are anchored by profound melodies.

Got Me Good is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Casey Kavanagh Breeds Desire from Regret in the Hot-Under-The-Collar Soul Single, Coulda Woulda Shoulda

Posted on 24 March 2026

The Minnesota-born multi-instrumentalist Casey Kavanagh has delivered a sonic equivalent of the bible for die-hard romantics lusting after reincarnations of old-school soul. Within the expansive architecture of the LP, Peaks & Valleys, the standout single, Coulda Woulda Shoulda, functions as a definitive hot-under-the-collar hit. As a third-generation musician who famously swapped the heavy metal preferences of his peers for the rhythmic magnetism of Stevie Wonder, Casey Kavanagh now retrospectively meditates on the last breath of intimacy before parting ways with a lover in Coulda Woulda Shoulda.

With a voice capable of speeding up climate change through its lush sincerity and melting-point capacity, and the swanky way he approaches jazz-soaked, sax-sexed grooves ensures that Coulda Woulda Shoulda breeds desire from regret with a rare sense of virility.

The self-taught polymath handled every layer of the recording and mixing alone during a period of immense personal grief, yet the result is pure aphrodisiacal magnetism. He efficaciously captured the heat of a fading flame, proving the savant-esque talent on display here was well worth the twenty-year wait for his solo outpourings.

Coulda Woulda Shoulda is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jessica Lollato Became a New Icon of Y2K RnB with ‘When It’s Over’

Posted on 28 February 2026

In 2026, Jessica Lollato has become a Y2K RnB icon, skewing the sonic timelines through her embodiment of the moody with soul iconic aesthetic and a production that implants contemporary hooks in the hazy, heavy textures of nostalgia. When It’s Over carries the energy of an artist who brings that entire ethos into sharper focus. If you’re sick of hyper-polished tracks from artists who think RnB started with the Weeknd, Lollato’s seminal single is the ultimate antidote to the posturing of assimilation.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Lollato channels that spark with a vocal that warms as it scathes; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and there’s no volition like an RnB artist driven past their limit of tolerance to the recording booth where they lay the audacity of entitled lust-fuelled lotharios on the line right next to their heart strings. The mood is thick, sultry, slightly bruised around the edges, and carried by that moody, soul tone she twists into her own signature style.

Raised on the 2000s greats, influenced by the early conversations heard through Brandy, Ashanti and Destiny’s Child, she now shapes that lineage into something more personal. When It’s Over speaks in the rhythm of someone who has lived every emotional push and pull. It forms a private love language that still invites you in, steadying you in the grey zone between closure and salting the sting that lingers long after the moment has gone.

When It’s Over is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Noel Sheriff channelled luxe-with-soul serenity into the festive glow of the RnB Deep House release, ‘Winter Heat’

Posted on 12 December 2025

Noel Sheriff flipped the script on festive music with the deep house grooves in Winter Heat, proving he knows exactly how to reach listeners who recoil at the sound of sleigh bells yet still crave something warm when the nights drag on. Modernistic style takes the place of seasonal nostalgia as Sheriff and his guest vocalists shape a rhythmic pull that stays clear of the festive clichés which usually smother December releases.

The hypnotically mellow downtempo rhythms turn meaningfully melodious, letting the lyrical ties to the season sit lightly across the mix rather than choke the vibe. Instead, they hold the bliss of finding heat where it rarely lingers in the dead of winter. The release simmers, feeling tailor-made for late nights, dim lights and speakers ready to swallow deep house bass. It deserves A-list rotation the moment it lands on the 12th of December, carrying crossover appeal as colossal as Sheriff’s instinct for soul, innovation and kinetic rhythmic connection.

Behind that polished pull sits a group working under the Window Seat Music Group banner, inspired by UK soul and driven by the collective spark that forms when dedicated vocalists, writers and producers connect under a shared vision. Vocalists Natalie, Vanessa, Steven and Scott bring texture and harmony, while songwriter Samuel Sheriff attuned Winter Heat with narratives that rectify the loss of connection felt in recent years. For the collective, their reward rests in that reaction, whether the track captures the lift of a party or the solitude of a late-night drive.

Winter Heat is now available on all major streaming platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cleo+ intertwined introspection and authenticity through the slow-burning soul of ‘Metanoia’

Posted on 25 November 2025

If you’re always searching for RnB artists who reach deeper into the human condition rather than orbiting the surface-level tales of affection and attraction, Cleo+ is the artist to place on your radar. Her latest single, Metanoia, unfolds as a meditation on vulnerability, candid self-expression, and the restless search for truth. Through the haze of dissonance that comes with confronting the uncomfortable corners of selfhood, she finds clarity. The track moves like an inner dialogue set to rhythm, allowing listeners to feel every ripple of uncertainty and realisation in her slow-burning contemplation.

The beauty of Metanoia lies in its restraint. The minimalism in the production amplifies the emotional transparency at its core, giving space for Cleo+’s vocals to navigate through reflection, acceptance, and renewal. Her voice shimmers with understated conviction, never forced, always fluid. It’s a portrait of introspection painted with poise and purpose, guiding the listener towards that rarest of moments in RnB: stillness met with sincerity.

Born in Detroit, Cleo+ began her creative evolution early, writing songs from the age of five after receiving a keyboard from her grandad. Since then, she’s continued to experiment with sound, drawing inspiration from artists like Solange, Frank Ocean, and Kelela while cultivating her own distinctive voice. Her work exists at the crossroads of soul, experimental RnB, and art pop, yet her focus remains firmly fixed on authenticity. Metanoia captures her commitment to self-discovery and transformation with striking emotional intelligence.

Metanoia is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Golden Gate and Inaya Day pulled no punches in the disco-hewn euphoria of My Name is Love

Posted on 18 November 2025

Golden Gate collided disco, funk, and soul in their latest serotonin-loaded single, My Name is Love, featuring the vocal dynamite that is Inaya Day. It’s an unapologetic invitation to shed inhibition and inhabit the sheer exhilaration of casting off negativity and living voraciously through passion, lust, and love. The vocals hit like a spiritual uprising, where the power in the octaves channels the purity of the soul they project.

Describing the rhythms as infectious would be too soft. There isn’t a dormant inch of the body left once the track’s strobing synths and phasers start radiating through the airwaves. Retro yet searingly modern, My Name is Love is a 70s disco funk anthem laser-focused on lifting spirits and tearing up dancefloors. The Leeds-based duo behind Golden Gate, Tee Cooper and Harper Lake, laced the production with cinematic lushness while enlisting a global crew of players to inject sweat, groove and electricity into every pocket of the mix.

Dubsworth on bass, Tom O’Brien on synths, Parthenope on sax, Gary Haguenauer on guitar, and the backing vocals of Cheryl Holland, Katie Brewer, and Harper himself round off a line-up that feels less like a studio session and more like a movement. As the centrepiece of The Disco Express 100th compilation, and an undeniable highlight of their live sets, My Name is Love doesn’t just honour the roots of disco, it resurrects them with technicolour ferocity. Put Inaya Day on the same pedestal as Jennifer Hudson and hand her a crown while you’re at it.

My Name is Love is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

– Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nikki Hayes caressed retro RnB into the future with ‘Moon Views’

Posted on 13 November 2025

Nikki Hayes got into the 70s groove of retro-laced RnB with her latest release, Moon Views, opening a celestial new chapter in her legacy as one of the most sublime soul conduits on the airwaves in 2025. The dreamy etherealism modernises the tableau of stylistic influence which Hayes effortlessly takes under her sultry command in the smooth-paced earworm that caresses you into catharsis. In the span of two minutes, the firebranded soulstress evoked vintage tones into the future of RnB, all while leaving her mark as an artist who knows exactly how to leave her audiences spellbound with her nocturnal layers of luxe lust.

Through subtle harmonic twists and an opulent mix of plush melodies and magnetic vocal lines, Moon Views feels like the sonic version of slipping into silk sheets beneath a starlit sky. There’s no fanfare needed, no vocal acrobatics; Hayes already knows the potency in every vocal curl and breathy inflexion, and she uses that instinct with quiet confidence, letting the atmosphere of the track wash over you.

Behind the velvet smoothness is a story shaped by resilience and reverence for the craft. From her early days at Studio One Dance Chicago to being embraced by icons like Toni Braxton, Nikki Hayes has honed her art through hard graft, relentless practice, and unflinching vulnerability. With previous placements across hit shows such as All American, Claws and Tyler Perry’s Sistas, she’s no stranger to weaving her sound into emotionally charged visual landscapes. Moon Views proves once again that when Hayes lays a track down, it’s meant to be felt on a molecular level.

Moon Views is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

– Review by Amelia Vandergast

abeni_ delivered a sonic slow-burn of intimacy and intent in her soul-rooted single ‘New Love’

Posted on 14 October 2025

New Love, the latest single from abeni_, is a slow-burning confession wrapped in sonic fire. With her soul-rooted vocals and a soundscape that transcends nostalgic imitation, abeni_ brings far more than a nod to Y2K RnB. There’s a simmering pulse of Latin guitars, hypnotic harmony layers, and a beat that builds and blossoms through a full emotional spectrum. This isn’t a track that coasts on aesthetics or tropes; it’s a visceral rendering of what it feels like to open your heart wide to someone new, knowing full well the risks, and doing it anyway.

The production keeps the energy tactile, never letting a single emotional pulse fall flat. It caresses rather than commands, yet the power in the restraint is palpable. You feel the vulnerability in the creases of the vocal lines, and the confidence blooming beneath them. There’s heat and hesitancy in equal measure, creating a rich emotional complexity that mirrors the first flickers of intimacy. It doesn’t simply profess affection; it carries you through the fire, the doubt, and the dizzying hope of fresh connection.

Raised in a household of writers rather than musicians, abeni_ came to music as an act of personal discovery. From school plays to chorus classes, her passion grew until it demanded a spotlight. Though she took a detour into education, earning a Masters and teaching in New York schools, the call to perform never quietened. Encouraged by her students, she stepped back to find where her voice belongs. New Love is her reclamation of that space, proving that when she sings, she lands right where she’s always meant to be.

New Love is now available on all major streaming platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MALA!KA Bared Fire, Soul and Frenetic Jazz Poetry in Out the Back Door

Posted on 2 October 2025

Through syncopation and a bold synthesis of soul, RnB, trip-hop, pop, and jazz, MALA!KA hit her stride with the standout single, Out the Back Door, from her seminal EP, At the Café. The track reaches the epitome of scintillation as it lures you into the warmth of a multi-sensory sojourn, escorted by biting lyricism and jazzy reverie to temper the sharper teeth of her narrative. What MALA!KA spills here feels raw, unfeigned, and unflinching.

There’s a striking cadence in her diction, a precision that echoes the spoken fire of contemporary poets in the vein of Kae Tempest, while carrying the same kind of diaristic sting that Kate Nash once cut with, only hers is forged from deeper soul. Against erratic percussion, her vocal melodies pour like liquid gold, never forced yet always resolute. The words refuse to sugar-coat, confronting the archetype of those who weaponise language without sincerity, using words as masks rather than mirrors.

Just when the sting is sharpest, a swanky jazz blues middle eight breezes in, offering a cool detour before the riot resumes. Sax lines spiral, percussion grows frenetic, and MALA!KA ensures the finale is nothing short of fearless experimentalism. It’s a reminder of her refusal to stay in one lane, and her determination to let emotion dictate form, not formula.

Born in Wilmslow with roots in Pakistan, MALA!KA has been shaping her sound against the backdrop of Liverpool’s vibrant music scene, where she has already headlined sold-out shows. Her debut EP, At the Café, cements her as one of the most authentic rising forces in the UK soul-pop landscape.

Out the Back Door is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Janockeil Turned Love Into an RnB-Laced Celestial Revelation with ‘On God’

Posted on 20 September 2025

Janockeil’s harmonies are a celestial force, and not to be reckoned with; there’s no battle of will strong enough for the arcane timbre that instantly demands you let down the walls of your soul and let the impassioned, warm aura pour through you. With Latin guitars wrapping around the rhythm section, cinematic touches glinting in all the right places, and a serene glow oscillating through the production, On God takes the premise of a love song and turns it into a diaphanous revelation.

Rendered with unadulterated authenticity, On God rekindles the possibility of diehard romanticism in an era too quick to forget the sanctity of true connection in the chase for the fleeting and superficial. There’s a spiritual weight to Janockeil’s performance, as though he’s holding up a light and daring you to follow it, even if it means leaving shallow infatuations behind. Let the ships in the night sink and drift while you get swept up in the aranely impassioned soul of On God.

Since his 2018 debut, Janockeil has steadily built a name as a soul man to watch, dropping a string of singles and EPs that have earned him respect from industry heavyweights like Tank. On God feels like a culmination of that ascent, a signal of even bigger things to come.

On God is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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