The album that finally made the world sit up and notice that Solange is a completely great artist on her own – and hardly needs to ever be spoken of in terms that involve her sister! The set's got a vibe that's as personal and put out there as Solange's image on the cover – music that's more openly expressive than you'd expect for a mainstream soul record, and linked together with these really creative interludes that continue the unique spirit of the songs and really makes the whole thing work together as one. Solange is clearly the leading attraction, but the set also features guest appearances from Q-Tip, Lil Wayne, Sampha, Kelela, Nia Andrews, and Kelly Rowland – on titles that include "Rise", "Cranes In The Sky", "Mad", "Don't Touch My Hair", "Junie", "Don't Wish Me Well", "Scales", "Tina Taught Me", and "The Chosen Ones". CD

One of the coolest modern soul albums of the late 00s – Solange's soulful and quite creative Sol-Angel & The Hadley St Dream LP – with classic 70s soul spirit inflected numbers that still feel very much of the present day – this is a record that really should have took off in a major way! Titles include "God Given Name", "TONY", "Dancing In The Dark", "Soundcastle Disco", "Ode To Marvin", "This Bird", "Valentine's Day" and more CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". (Vocalists, Neo Soul) CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". (Vocalists, Neo Soul) CD