UK soulsmith blesses the g.k.m.c. standout with his sugary sweet tenor with production from Londoners The Confect. Both Baker and TC are on a highest of highs here with vocalist Baker earning top marks for the fluidity of his diction and feel and The Confect knocking down some of the most pleasingly soulful production of the year. Definitely not one to miss. (SCUK)
Joel Baker – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Kendrick Lamar Refix)Rating 8.4
Silky smooth soulman Joel Culpepper delivers a midtempo R&B cooler of the highest quality in “Passenger”. Excepted here from his “SkyDive” EP, Culpepper employs his erstwhile falsetto and neatly dulcet tones in varying stages to create interesting dynamics of tension and release between the track’s verses and chorus.
Joel Culpepper – PassengerJoel Culpepper 
(Official)
Rating 8.3
Maryland singer/songwriter Camille Michelle Gray’s acoustic version of Kendrick Lamar’s “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” (maybe our favorite track on GKMC) is really really good. The playing isn’t 100% perfect, you can tell that this performance was more of a one off, but Camille’s soulfulness and the skill with which she interprets Kendrick’s intricate lyricism are both of the highest quality. Camille’s definitely someone now on the b3 radar.
Camille Michelle Gray – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Kendrick Lamar)Camille Michelle Gray 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Lady, the duo of Nicole Wray (who you may know from her 90’s collaborations with Missy Elliott and The Black Keys’ BlakRoc project) and UK soulstress Terri Walker, put a little soul into their independent woman with their track “Money”. Girl got her own and she gon’ flaunt it.
Lady – MoneyLady (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
We love Jessie Ware. You love Jessie Ware. The annual high-fiving-fest that is best of list season is nearly here. Along with it, the almost certain barrage of Top 10 album of the year designations for Ms. Ware. “Running” has been remixed, refixed, reedited, respun, covered, etc a lot but Nashville band Wild Cub’s version just might be our favorite of all. Get familiar below.
Wild Cub – Running (Jessie Ware)Wild Cub 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.7
Denitia Odigie is really really good. The soulstress hooks up here with Sene (the duo released a very good (& aptly titled) “Blah Blah Blah” EP earlier this year) for new track “Trip. Fall.” The feel of the track is magnetic (you’ll be hooked right away) but the star, again, is Ms. Odigie’s buttery, soothing vocal track.
Denitia Odigie & Sene – Trip. Fall.Denitia Odigie 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
UK singer Hollie Cook hooks up with producer Prince Fatty (not King Tubby) for this dub version of the classic track by The Whispers. Rocksteady.
Prince Fatty & Hollie Cook – And the Beat Goes OnHollie Cook (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Denitia Odigie is an artist that if you’re not as of yet, you need to get familiar with. Her latest “Desert Hearts” is great and a sound that is fresh, new, interesting, all that. If you’ve got any kind of 2012 R&B nu-garage sort of fatigue Ms. Odigie should put it to rest pretty quickly.
Denitia Odigie (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
The Weeknd delivers more of what he does best on “Twenty Eight” (ie the unfortunate and agonizing problem of having girls telling friends how he’s got them screaming his name). Doc McKinney & Illangelo work the boards for yet another troubled-soul R&B slice of pop perfection. Track is hot. Grab the Trilogy LP 11/13.
The Weeknd – Twenty EightThe Weeknd 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The Young Pharaohs kids draw on the melodic spirit of classic R&B and dress it up with a more modern indie-friendly synth styling. We’re into it.
Young Pharaohs – One With the WorldYoung Pharaohs (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Maplewood native SZA links up with producer BrandUn DeShay and makes for some fluidous R&B on “Crack Dreams”. Off the debut See.SZA.Run EP.
SZA – Crack Dreams (Prod. BrandUn DeShay)SZA 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8
We are seriously crushing on Dream Koala’s new “Blur” EP. The 5-track set features some of the most beautifully sublime sounds of the year. Our pick is the vibes-by-candlelight-focused-through-a-hip-hop-lens of “Gone”. Check it.
Dream Koala – GoneBreakbot 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
