Bobby Harden's got a great way of putting over a tune – he's not a soul singer out to top James Brown, or try to leap into the fray with a real funky frenzy – and instead, he approaches the material with the laidback confidence of some of our southern soul favorites from years past – all with a vibe that really makes the album shine! The presentation of the songs by the Soulful Saints is great – themselves an equally understated group, and clearly aware that Bobby's the main attraction of the set – which he definitely is, in this overdue debut that's clearly going to make him one of the best underground soul singers in years to come. Titles include "One Tribe", "Wounded Hearts", "Bridge Of Love", "Runnin", "Raise Your Mind", "It's My Time", "Feels So Good", and "One Night Of The Week". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's no ensemble, but they're definitely analog – as the one-man combo Charif Megarbane handles a whole host of cool electric sources for the music – a mix of mellotron, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Farfisa, Moog, and other keys – mixed with an electric koto, flute, vibes, theremin, and field recordings too! There's also key use of acoustic guitar, which warms up and humanizes the sound wonderfully – as do the French vocals, which appear from time to time, and make the whole thing sparkle like some underground Parisian project from years back – almost building a bridge from the 70s Saravah scene forward to the music of Stereolab and Laetitia Sadier. The album's every bit as great as those two references would imply – and titles include "The Patterns Of A Hand", "Ainsi Souffle Le Vent", "Sens Dessus Dessous", "Passe Compose", "Les Orpailleurs", and "Octopolis". (New Grooves, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous return to form for the great Brian Jackson – an artist that most folks know for his legendary 70s work with Gil Scott-Heron, but one who's kept on making great music for years after Gil departed our planet! Here, Jackson's the lead talent on Fender Rhodes, flute, and other instruments – working alongside core funky backdrops from Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – in a mode that follows up the spirit of their other releases in the Jazz Is Dead series, but with a vibe that's darker and moodier overall! There's a great edge going on here – and the bassline are especially heavy at times, which seems to make Jackson push even stronger than he might – filling up all the spaces with beautiful sounds that show the musician at his jazziest. Titles include "Mars Walk", "Nancy Wilson", "Young Muhammad", "Guality", "Bain De Minuit", "Ethiopian Sunshower", and "Under The Bridge". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very classic look on the cover – and an equally classic sound to match – one that takes us back to some of the hippest, coolest work by early 60s singers like Sam Cooke or Marvin Gaye! Both artists are a good comparison here, as Leon Bridges is unabashedly in the same territory – cool, classy, yet undeniably soulful – at this level that never has to overstate itself, or try too hard to reach for facile funky parts, or any kind of party-moving sort of vibe. Leon's vocals are wonderful – clearly born to sing music this great – and the backings are a nice change from the usual retro soul modes, and instead have this deep soul vibe that's perfectly captured in a Texas small studio setting. Titles include "Better Man", "Brown Skin Girl", "Lisa Sawyer", "Pull Away", "Flower", and "Twistin & Groovin". (Neo Soul, Deep Funk) CD

A really great follow-up to the first collaboration between Khruangbin and Leon Bridges – one with a title that's similar to the first, but a sound that's nicely different too! It's almost as if the group take the "moon" in the title seriously – and go for a more laidback, dark-tinged version of the territory covered on Texas Sun – grooves that are a bit more mellow, and somewhat more introspective – at a level that really works well for the vocals of Leon Bridges, which themselves are sometimes spaced out in these really cool ways with the production! This isn't the hard-jamming side of Khruangbin, but instead that maturing quality of the trio that has them doing more with less – bringing a slow funk majesty to Bridges' vocals, on titles that include "Doris", "B-Side", "Chocolate Hills", "Father Father", and "Mariella". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album