Sonnymoon’s Anna Wise, who you’ve likely heard on Kendrick tracks like “These Walls” and “Money Trees” streams a forward thinking bit of R&B with new solo track “Precious Possession”. Occupying a similar space sound-wise as To Pimp a Butterfly’s instrumentally jazzier more cooled out moments, the Sounwave-esque production is neat frame for Anna’s fresh vocal flow. Very good.
We’re into the jazz-inflected alto vocal of new to B3 artist Isabel on track “Fences”. Working within a minimalist piano-led modern R&B idiom, Isabel’s full-toned vocal reveals a bit of star quality to it in its singular-ness and strong emotive communication. Stream “Fences”, a track we like very very much, below.
Whoa. “Lavender & Dandelion”, the debut track online from bi-coastal tandem MUN & SOL, is stunning (yes, stunning is a word that’s gets thrown around blogs a lot but “Lavender & Dandelion” is really stunning. Warm rhodes, low-touch beats and a soul-stirring tenor vocal set a perfect piece of R&B-influenced indie pop. Take a listen.
Get acquainted with Moscow-based groove-maker artist Rare Cuts, who recently released this superb edit of “Concrete Jungle” the funk-centric Little Beaver track off their 1976 album When Was The Last Time. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Greek producers (and friends) MANSTA (Manolis Stavroulakis) and Benet (covered here) team up for a comprehensively brilliant disco-detailed take on saxy chart-topping vocals-led Crusaders gem “Street Life” (which apparently was part of the Crusaders 1979 hit studio album of the same name). Amazing. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Wow. “Skipping Stones”, the new track from Gallant and Jhene Aiko is one of the best tracks of 2016. The Adrian Younge and Stint co-produced “Skipping Stones” has us visualizing MG and TT in the modern era. It’s that accomplished. Red Bull Sound Select will release the modern soul ballad tomorrow, February 5th.
We’re into the decadent disco atmospherics, deep vibe-y tropical dance grooves and poignant interludes of metallic percussion on “C’mon Back” the new rhythm-based dance jam from UK vet artist Raw-Artes (recently covered here). Reviewed by Erin Shay.
SG Lewis, author of one of 2015’s best songs “Warm”, connects in collaboration with PMR Records labelmate Dornik for coolly funky new track “All Night”. A+++
“More” the debut track from shrouded-in-anonymity newcomers 4am is beautiful. A terrific piece of melodic writing, that bit around 0:16 when the “give me more” turn in the tune first happens is one of those brief moments of magic that makes this whole music blogging thing a bit more worthwhile. We hope that’s a strong enough endorsement of “More”.
Japanese singer in London Rina Sawayama turns in an electric modern R&B makeover of MJ’s “I Wanna Be Where You Are”. Of the cover, which features a (and these are merely reference points as Rina’s voice is pretty singular in our opinion) Jessie Ware/Mariah-esque timbre in the vocals and a instrumental that reminds a bit fidelity-wise of Beyonce’s “Party”, Rina said about its genesis, “Online you can present your best edited self, and bypass lots of the messiness and awkwardness that comes with real human interactions. Your overheating phone substitutes human warmth. Weirdest of all- you’re together, but also very alone”. Stream “Where U Are” below.
B3 Alaskan beat-maker fave .eets follows up his recent terrific melodic hip-hop tune “Flying High” (covered here) with new gem “Blue Lights”, a beautiful beat-laden vocals-led number which samples DJ Shadow’s Little Dragon-vocals-led tune “Scale it Back”. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
