Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". CD

Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". 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". CD

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – which hint at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty". LP, Vinyl record album

The most sophisticated album to date from this wonderful musician – a set that has Sly5thAve working with a large ensemble of players who shift along from track to track – delivering a very righteous reading of his core musical ideas, at a level that feels even more powerful than anything else he's ever given us! Many know Sly as a soulful production talent – but here, he's showcasing himself more as a composer/arranger – mixing jazz with larger instrumentation, yet all still set to funky beats and rhythms that tie the whole project to his roots. The whole thing is a huuuuge step forward for the artist – as Sly5thAve plays saxes, flute, bass clarinet, and keyboards – with a huge lineup of players on trumpet, tenor, keyboards, trombone, bass, flute, and other instrumentation too. Two tracks have vocals – sung by MacKenzie on one cut, and Kyle Rapps on another – and titles include "Water Suite", "Liberation", "No No No", "Exodus", "Monoxide", "Proverbs", and "Actin Whyte". LP, Vinyl record album

A pop masterpiece from UK soul singer Lewis Taylor – easily his tightest album to date! The set's got a magical feel that reminds us strongly of our favorites from 70s radio on both sides of the Atlantic – warmly compressed instrumentation that slides in nicely alongside the vocals, sunnily grooving in a sound that's incredibly well-crafted, yet also extremely personal. The production is light years ahead of that on Lewis' other self-released albums – at a level that rivals the best studio work from LA or London in the early 70s, and which firmly pushes Lewis out of the indie Neo Soul ghetto, into a style that's much more in the vein of classic AOR pop. The whole thing's a real departure from Lewis' other work – which may turn off a few folks, but which has us appreciating his talents more than ever! Titles include "Send Me An Angel", "Listen Here", "Lost", "New Morning", "Yeah", "Please Help Me If You Can", "One More Mystery", and "Say I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". CD

A fantastic little set that looks at the huge wave of top-shelf AOR material recorded in recent years – part of a huge global re-awakening to the charms of the genre – often with results that are even groovier than the classic records of the 70s! One of the compelling things here is that the music isn't being made by big names on major labels – and instead is an almost-underground thing – but handled at a level that's completely faithful to the best Cali styles of the 70s – from sweet jazzy instrumentation right down to the perfect production styles to get the whole thing right. You'll recognize a few names here – and will hopefully discover a lot more too – as titles include "Tell Me" by William Sikstrom, "Quiet Storm" by Workshy, "Liberation Groove" by Incognito, "You Make My Life A Better Place" by Mamas Gun, "What You Deserve" by Chris Cauley, "See Me Slumber" by Young Gun Silver Fox, "Melt The Night" by Lucas Arruda, "All Smiles" by Jeremy Passion, "Walkin On Air" by Tomi Malm, "Good To Live" by Monkey House, "Thoughts" by Michael Carreon, "Dangerous" by Umii, "Hello Monday" by Briamarie, "The Greatest" by King, "Perish The Thought" by Ned Doheny, "Sweet Life" by Mike Champion, and "Don't Disturb This Groove" by Meshell Ndegeocello. (Funky Compilations, Neo Soul) CD

Keyon Harrold continues his rise from standard jazz into the realm of soulful superstar – working here with a great array of guests, and also creating a sound that's a fantastic blend of his own work on trumpet and some larger currents of soul and R&B! At some level, the record's almost Harrold's equivalent of the Black Radio projects from pianist Robert Glasper – and maybe no surprise, Glasper's in the lineup of guests here – alongside Laura Mvula, PJ Morton, Common, Jean Baylor, and others – all participants who find just the right spot in the music, yet leave plenty of room for Keyon to blow some solos in a way that mark his role as the visionary leader of the proceedings. Titles include "Beautiful Day", "Well Walk Now", "Don't Lie", "Foreverland", "Find Your Peace", "Gotta Go", "Pictures", and "The Intellectual". (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

Keyon Harrold continues his rise from standard jazz into the realm of soulful superstar – working here with a great array of guests, and also creating a sound that's a fantastic blend of his own work on trumpet and some larger currents of soul and R&B! At some level, the record's almost Harrold's equivalent of the Black Radio projects from pianist Robert Glasper – and maybe no surprise, Glasper's in the lineup of guests here – alongside Laura Mvula, PJ Morton, Common, Jean Baylor, and others – all participants who find just the right spot in the music, yet leave plenty of room for Keyon to blow some solos in a way that mark his role as the visionary leader of the proceedings. Titles include "Beautiful Day", "Well Walk Now", "Don't Lie", "Foreverland", "Find Your Peace", "Gotta Go", "Pictures", and "The Intellectual". (Jazz, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

McKinley Dixon has an amazing way of mixing depth with crisp, catchy production – at a level that delivers a record that's instantly personal, and pretty darn powerful – yet which also has a quality that could well make McKinley a superstar, if the world had any justice! The music bursts out with a tremendous amount of pride and righteous energy – graced with key guest appearances, but always circling back to the vision of Dixon at the core – hip hop blended with soul in all the right ways, and put together with a style that cares less for generic tags than it does for the rock-solid quality of the album as a whole. Features work from Teller Bank$, Angelica Garcia, Hanif, Anjimile, Ms Jaylin Brown, and Chais Guevara – on titles that include "Tyler Forever", "Dedicated To Gar Feather", "Run Run Run", "Sun I Rise", "Live From The Kitchen Table", and "The Story So Far". (Hip Hop, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic debut from Chicago soul singer Kaina Castillo – an artist who may well become huge in years to come, given the strength of this initial album! There's a really special vibe going on here – as Kaina's not afraid to put herself or her feelings on the line, but also not in a way that's ever too overwrought – almost as if she's sharing them with us on a personal level, but wrapped up in these seductive soul vocals that have a much more subtle sort of power. All the material is original, but there's one track on here that's an older Syreeta classic – and that relationship may well be a good way to describe the uniqueness of Kaina too. The whole album was written and done in collaboration with Sen Morimoto, who provides some equally understated backings that really fit the vocals – on titles that include "It Was A Home", "Good Feeling", "Sweetness", "Come Back As A Flower", "Golden Mirror", "Casita", "Anybody Can Be In Love", and "Ultraviolet". LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary gem from Paulette McWilliams – the Chicago singer who was part of Rufus before Chaka Khan, worked with Luther Vandross, and who's given the world decades of great contributions after cutting her rare solo debut on Fantasy Records in the 70s! This set shows Paulette very much in charge of her game, and working at a level that really lives up to her legacy in soul music – with well-crafted tunes that really gain a lot from her vocals, set up in these lean, but grooving arrangements that always let you know that the singer is the star of the scene! Titles include "Sometimes Your Eyes", "New Tunes Old Grooves", "Share", "These Are The Sweet Things", "Tell Me You Love Me", "Take A Drink Of Me", and "That's How I Am". (Soul, Neo Soul) CD

An incredible album from Amy Winehouse – even way better than her fantastic debut! Although a contemporary soul album, this one's steeped in tradition – soul styles that run the gamut from Detroit down to Kingston, and which are carried off here with a rougher, sharper-edged sound than before! The instrumentation on here is really mindblowing – almost at a Motown level, with isolated instruments really crackling out from the fuller backings – all set to rhythms that snap and bounce, and are almost a bit funky at times. Credit is definitely due to producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi – but Amy's vocals are really tremendous too – classic, but really personal and fresh! Titles include "Rehab", "Just Friends", "Back To Black", "Love Is A Losing Game", "Addicted", "He Can Only Hold Her", "Some Unholy War", and "Me & Mr Jones". CD

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

McKinley Dixon has an amazing way of mixing depth with crisp, catchy production – at a level that delivers a record that's instantly personal, and pretty darn powerful – yet which also has a quality that could well make McKinley a superstar, if the world had any justice! The music bursts out with a tremendous amount of pride and righteous energy – graced with key guest appearances, but always circling back to the vision of Dixon at the core – hip hop blended with soul in all the right ways, and put together with a style that cares less for generic tags than it does for the rock-solid quality of the album as a whole. Features work from Teller Bank$, Angelica Garcia, Hanif, Anjimile, Ms Jaylin Brown, and Chais Guevara – on titles that include "Tyler Forever", "Dedicated To Gar Feather", "Run Run Run", "Sun I Rise", "Live From The Kitchen Table", and "The Story So Far". (Hip Hop, Neo Soul) 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". (Deep Funk, Neo Soul) CD

Benny Sings doesn't look too young on the cover, but his music here really has the youthful spirit promised in the title – a continued refinement of that contemporary soul style that's always made him such a standout in the scene – served up at a level that just seems to get better and better with each new record! The Cali image in the cover gives a hint to the sound on the record – as there's some slight AOR touches in the production, but used in a way that's nice and lean – sharp, but never overdone – which keeps things very intimate with the vocals, and really showcases that strong sense of charisma and hook that Benny brings to his music. Titles include "The Only One", "Distance", "Let's Go", "Movie Star", "Take Your Time", "Pyjamas", "Simple Love Songs", and "Young Hearts". LP, Vinyl record album

The great Gregory Porter in a very different setting than usual – working here with larger backings from an entire orchestra, as part of the album's tribute to Nat King Cole during his glory days at Capitol Records! The style here isn't the King Cole Trio vibe of the mid 40s, but instead that lush, larger approach of the 50s – when Nat took his jazz roots and transformed them into something even more sophisticated and powerful, at a level that also helped raise both his profile and that of many of his contemporaries – opening the door for generations of musical growth to come. Porter pays back that monumental favor – by turning his amazing vocals loose on a host of standards from the Nat Cole songbook – with core backing by a quartet that features Christian Sands on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Ulysses Owens on drums – plus a bit of guest trumpet from Terence Blanchard. Arrangements and orchestrations are by Vince Mendoza – and titles include "Smile", "Nature Boy", "Love", "Quizas Quizas Quizas", "Mona Lisa", "When Love Was King", "Miss Otis Regrets", "The Christmas Song", "I Wonder Who My Daddy Is", and "Pick Yourself Up". A great special edition – in a hardcover book-like package, with pages of notes inside – and bonus tracks "But Beautiful", "Sweet Lorraine", and "For All We Know". (Vocalists, Neo Soul) CD