The retro-styled font on the cover is a tipoff to the sound of this set – as Tre Burt steps back into the past a bit more and channels some strong influences from 70s soul, while still offering up that more contemporary blend of rock and R&B influences you'd know from his previous records! Production is nice and warm – again maybe nodding back to the past, especially early 70s Hi Records, but with more contemporary execution – on titles that include "Play Stevie Wonder", "Win My Heart", "I'm Aight Pops Just Tired", "Santiago", "Wings For A Butterfly", "To Be A River", "2 For Tha Show", and "Told Ya Then". CD

A stunning little set from Incognito – the group's first full album on Talkin Loud records, and a set that's head and shoulders above their earlier jazz funk from the 80s! The sound here has a real "instant classic" quality – not just because it's dripping with the best references from the jazzier side of 70s soul (think Fantasy Records at its best!) – but also because it's so well put together, with a sense of instrumentation that's tight, yet an overall groove that's relaxed and fairly spontaneous – something that was quite rare at the time the record was released! Bluey is at the height of his powers here – stepping strongly into a run of great work that would last for well over a decade – and other key figures include Maysa Leak on vocals, Kevin Robinson on trumpet, and Graham Harvey and Peter Hinds on keyboards. Titles include a killer remake of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", plus "Change", "Colibri", "Magnetic Ocean", "Closer To The Feeling", "Tribal Vibes", "Pyramid", and "I Love What You Do For Me". CD

A tough title to live up to – but Raphael makes it happen! The album's as wonderful as you might think – all the deeply soulful styles Saadiq worked out with Tony Toni Tone, taken back through a historical range of soul music – firmly planted in a legacy that begins with Stevie Wonder, runs through Maxwell and D'Angelo, and which points the way towards the future of urban soul. Backings are very much in the beats-n-keyboards mode, but Raphael works out such a wide range of moods and modes that the album avoids any of the shortcomings of other albums in such a style. Includes guest performances by Angie Stone, Leslie Wilson, T-Boz, Calvin Richardson, and D'Angelo – and titles that include "Doing What I Can", "Be Here", "Still Pay", "You're The One That I Like", "Excuse Me", "Tick Tock", "People", "Faithful", "Make My Day", "Blind Man", "Different Times", "What's Life Like", and "Skyy, Can You Feel Me". CD

An incredible full length set from Amp Fiddler – and the kind of record that's well worth all the hype it's been getting! Think of this one as Stevie Wonder for the 21st Century – keyboards and vocals taking off in a rocketship for the future, yet packed to the brim with all the best influences from the past! The whole set's got an amazingly well-crafted sound that fuses older funk, future jazz, and cosmic soul into one unified vision that's sure to be one of the biggest influences on soul music for years to come. Tremendous stuff – and the kind of record that can only be best described by a listen. After 3 seconds, you'll be hooked – trust us! Titles include "Dreamin", "I Believe In You", "Soul Divine", "Love & War", "Eye To Eye", and "This Is How". CD

Janelle Monae knocks it out of the park here – sounding every bit as great as before, but also hitting this righteous mode that really takes the singer to incredible new territory! If you loved Janelle's previous records, don't worry – she's still as catchy and playful as ever – but there's also a depth and darkness that's inspired by recent political turns in America – which Monae also uses to address issues that go back much farther in her experience, woven together in songs that are maybe even more politically powerful because of the way that they'll also win over the mainstream! Stevie Wonder gets the very first thanks in the long notes at the end of the book – and the mix of soul and message here definitely hearkens back to Stevie in the 70s – is all Janelle's own. Heck, even guests like Zoe Kravitz, Brian Wilson, and Pharrell Williams can't get in the way – on titles that include "Screwed", "Django Jane", "I Got The Juice", "Stevie's Dream", "Don't Judge Me", "Crazy Classic Life", "Take A Byte", "Do Afraid", "Americans", "I Like That ", "Pynk", "Jane's Dream", and "Make Me Feel". And hey, you've gotta love a record that's inspired both by Vibranium and Stevie Wonder! CD