A really great bit of blue-eyed soul from Laneous – a singer who doesn't try to ape classic modes like some of his contemporaries, but who instead brings together a groove that's certainly got an influence from hip hop as much as it does classic soul – yet which is delivered on some mighty nice live instrumentation throughout! There's a fair bit of vibes on the set – often coming down hard with the rhythms, and ringing out in a mighty nice way – and tunes move between slow funk and breezier, jazzier numbers – both of which Laneous delivers in a really great style! Titles include "I Wanna Be Your Girl", "Not Quite Right", "Nightingales", "Hold My Hand", "Trouble In Paradise", and "Modern Romance". CD

The first we're hearing from Steven Bamidele, but we're guessing it won't be the last – as this debut has a wonderfully well-crafted vibe from the start, which comes from both Steven's great ear for production, and his snakily sensual vocals! There's a laidback quality to his singing that's offset by a nice crackle in the rhythms – never too fast or in any sort of clubby territory, but with lots of midtempo breaks that are augmented by warmly jazzy work on keyboards, tenor, and piano! The approach is great – intimate and personal, but with a cosmic sensibility as well – on titles that include "Pathways", "Head Down", "Kaleidoscope", "Misunderstood", "Sitting In The Dark", and "Dark Sense Of Humor". LP, Vinyl record album

Jon Batiste steps out of his jazzy comfort zone, and opens the door to a whole host of global elements – and also manages to step into the world of soul as well! The record's almost to Batiste what the Black Radio projects were to Robert Glasper – showing a growing cultural presence past that of a jazz musician – as Batiste works with a host of guests who include Native Soul, Lana Del Rey, Leigh Anne, Lil Wayne, JJID, and others – fusing jazzy solo work, soulful vocals, and contemporary grooves into a tapestry that is bound to get the Jon Batiste name out there in ways his previous records never did. The approach isn't one for jazz purists, but then again, Jon's never really been a purist overall – and we gladly embrace the project as the sort that's opening doors to new ears, then leading them back to jazz! Titles include "Uneasy", "Call Now", "Boom For Real", "Movement 18", "Life Lesson", "White Space", "Running Away", "My Heart", "Drink Water", "Raindance", and "Be Who You Are". (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

The Black Pumas went from underground status to much bigger fame in just a short span of time – and this smoking second album will definitely continue that nonstop rise to stardom! As before, the group are heavy on older references to funk and soul, but given a lean, contemporary spin in the production – handled by Adrian Quesada, with all the richness he's forged on countless other projects over the years – so that the grooves and instrumentation are right on the money, and augmented by these slight sonic surprises that really keep things interesting! The vocals seem even better than before – raw, raspy, and very powerful – on titles that include "Mrs Postman", "Gemini Sun", "Sauvignon", "Angel", "Hello", "Chronicles Of A Diamond", "Ice Cream", and "More Than A Love Song". (Deep Funk, Neo Soul) CD

The Black Pumas went from underground status to much bigger fame in just a short span of time – and this smoking second album will definitely continue that nonstop rise to stardom! As before, the group are heavy on older references to funk and soul, but given a lean, contemporary spin in the production – handled by Adrian Quesada, with all the richness he's forged on countless other projects over the years – so that the grooves and instrumentation are right on the money, and augmented by these slight sonic surprises that really keep things interesting! The vocals seem even better than before – raw, raspy, and very powerful – on titles that include "Mrs Postman", "Gemini Sun", "Sauvignon", "Angel", "Hello", "Chronicles Of A Diamond", "Ice Cream", and "More Than A Love Song". (Deep Funk, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

David Boykin works here in a very different guise than his usual role as a saxophonist – stepping out here with a range of different singers, in a set of tracks that showcase a whole new side of his talents! The music is a mix of modern jazz vocals and contemporary soul modes – different depending on the singers, who shift from cut to cut – at a level that sometimes echoes June Tyson or Abbey Lincoln, other times reflects more contemporary work from the underground! As always with Boykin's CDs, the notes are a bit spare, so it's hard to tell who did what in terms of the music – but we can say that the set features vocals from Abeeku, Consuela Ivy-Vaughn, Dark Mery, Liz Mputu, and Ugochi – on titles that include "Listen Up", "She Was Screaming", "What The Afrofuture Say", "Slow Sweet Burn", "Conspiracy", and "Of My Voice". (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

A killer collection of work from a group who are very near and dear to our hearts – a soulful combo who emerged from the UK scene at the end of the 80s, and really helped bring back a classic sort of warmth to soul music! Brand New Heavies were a funk combo at the core, but they were also graced with two great female singers – initially Jay Ella Ruth, then the mighty N'Dea Davenport, the singer who really helped the group soar over here on the US scene! These days, well-crafted, non-programmed soul music is a common thing – but were it not for BNH, and their contemporaries Incognito, the style might have fallen out of favor altogether – especially during that early 90s era when R&B was still pretty heavy on keyboards, samples, and beats! This double-length set is filled with classics from the group – titles that include "Spend Some Time", "Don't Let It Go To Your Head", "Never Stop", "Dream Come True", "Saturday Nite", "People Get Ready", "You Are The Universe", "Midnight At The Oasis", "Mind Trips", "You Can Do It", "Brother Sister", and their great take on "Apparently Nothin" – and their hip hop cut "Bonafied Funk" with Main Source and Large Professor. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's got all the classic soul vibe you might guess from the title and the cover, but one that's also got some more contemporary elements too – as Bella Brown and the group weave together strands of soulful influences from many decades – all with the feeling as if a 60s act on Atlantic Records were brought forward in time to hear a bit of Afro Funk from the 70s, Brand New Heavies from the late 80s, and other sweet bits which they then brought back to influence their sound! Bella's a very strong singer in the lead, able to shift things into her own mode way past standard retro soul approaches – and titles include "Bang Bang Bang", "Lady Time", "What Will You Leave Behind", "Soul Clap", "There Is Love", and "Fast As Lighting". (Deep Funk, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Funky soul from Harriet Brown – a record that's very well-steeped in 80s modes, including a bit of funk from Prince and some of the leaner currents of the boogie generation! Yet Harriet's got a style that's very contemporary, too – a leaner, more independent approach to soul that's really great – very personal, probably because Brown handles just about everything here himself, with just a bit of assistance from co-producer Alex Talan. Titles include "Cybernetiplegia", "Obsession", "Cryptid", "Atlantis", "In My Head", "Paralyzed", "Contact", "Mother", and "ESP". CD

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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know London bassist Daniel Casimir from his work in the group of Nubya Garcia – but this stunning debut shows a side of his talents we never would have expected – a really visionary performance that has Casimir really exploding both a composer and musician! There's a core group here that features Garcia on tenor – along with Moses Boyd on drums, James Copus on trumpet, and Al Macsween on keyboards – but Daniel also adds in these brilliant larger arrangements that use horns and strings to really give the album a soaring, righteous sort of power – maybe some of the energy that we loved in the early work of Chris Bowden, but much more contemporary too. An instant classic – with titles that include "New Waters", "Boxed In", "Get Even", "Your Side", "The Truth", "Rewind The Time", and "Safe". (Jazz, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The great CD release of two previous albums from this hip contemporary combo – two vinyl albums back to back on a single CD! Both albums have a fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You Bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", "Sleepless Nights", and "From My Heart & Soul". The Dessert album offers up a reworked version of the core record – with titles that are partly remixes, partly reworks – with guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Vincent, and others! (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

A tri-lingual set from this very compelling soul singer – a set mostly done in English, but with work in Darija and German, the latter of which reflects her adopted home in Hamburg. Some of the best cuts here are nice and mellow, with Douniah's vocals crackling gently next to the keyboards and warmer electronics – and the set's got this quietly cosmic vibe that's mighty nice, and very different both from so much other contemporary work, and other projects on the Melting Pot label. Production is by Dhanya Langer, and titles include "Runnin", "Nur Fur Mich", "new Life", "Yennayer", "Saba Al Noor", "I Left An Open Door", and "Half Milk Half Water". LP, Vinyl record album

Edbl's got some great friends here – a hip lineup that includes Myles Sanko, Sophie Faith, and others – all of whom bring in some great flavors to his wonderful production at the core! Edbl's nicely understated – clearly a lover of classic soul, funk, and jazz – but one who's also fused the whole thing together, then come up with this crispy, crackling vibe that's all his own! There's plenty of contemporary producers trying for the same thing, but Edbl really gets it right, and finds a way to really fly his own flag without ever tying himself too much to the past – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tell Me", "Too Much", "Temperature High", "Bossa", "Cold", and "Heist". CD features the bonus Japanese exclusive cut "Cafe 9". CD

Edbl's got some great friends here – a hip lineup that includes Myles Sanko, Sophie Faith, and others – all of whom bring in some great flavors to his wonderful production at the core! Edbl's nicely understated – clearly a lover of classic soul, funk, and jazz – but one who's also fused the whole thing together, then come up with this crispy, crackling vibe that's all his own! There's plenty of contemporary producers trying for the same thing, but Edbl really gets it right, and finds a way to really fly his own flag without ever tying himself too much to the past – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tell Me", "Too Much", "Temperature High", "Bossa", "Cold", and "Heist". LP also features the whole JPRK album – plus the Japanese bonus tracks "Postcard" and "Cafe 9". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic soul from Danish singer Astrid Engberg – an artist with a voice that's already great on its own, but sound seven better amidst the album's slightly spacey, slightly jazzy instrumentation! The record has a very contemporary vibe – as although Astrid's vocals could work in an old school soul setting, they seem even better here with the moody electric crackle of the backings – sometimes served up by just a trio, but featuring guest work from the great string master Miguel Atwood Ferguson on a number of tracks – and other appearances from Moo Latte, Maria Dybbroe, and Tobias Wiklund as well. Titles include "Spirits Came Told Me", "Chains", "Loving Contemplation", "I Should Care", "Adaptation", "Body Follows Body", and "Blue Rise & The Fall". (New Grooves, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet smooth funk from David Fostex – a set that's heavy both on 80s boogie modes, and some of the "yacht soul" elements referenced by the title – but which also has a very unique spin of its own! The lineup here is large, although given the names of some of the musicians, that might also be an in-joke – as we're not sure that Herbie Handjob actually played Rhodes on the set – yet despite any question about the origins of the sound, the result is nice and tight – a great contemporary take on classic modes, with a few wisecracks mixed in alongside the soulful vocals. Titles include "Lost My Keys", "Butt Dial", "Glasses For The Masses", "Should Have Washed My Hands", "Livin The Stream", and "What's That Smell Barry Manilow". LP, Vinyl record album

These guys are known by some as the backing band of Anderson.Paak, but they're a hell of a group on their own – rock-solid right at the core, and able to effortlessly craft a sweet blend of funk and soul – yet also leave room for plenty of guests along the way! The musicianship here is fantastic – classic, yet very much their own – echoing the perfection of 70s studio work, but with a very contemporary vibe and a nicely up-close spirit –a sound that's perfect all the way through, and which makes a great accompaniment to guest work from TI, Shafiq Husayn, Daniel Caesar, Syd, Benny Sings, T Nava, Callum Connor, Conway, Westside Gunn, and even Anderson.Paak. The kind of record that's perfect for bumpin all summer long – with titles that include "Gidget", "Time", "Rene", "Shibuya", "Eternal Light", "The Rivington", "Beauty & Essex", and "On Sight". LP, Vinyl record album

The record that may well push Devon Gilfillian over the top – and a set that might also set a whole new standard in soul music as well! Devon's got a way of embracing the sensual presence of male soul stars from years back, while also presenting himself with a fragile, open quality that's really unique – one that comes through in the slight crackle of his vocals, and in the way the backings handled by producer Jeremy Lutito really fit the mode of the lyrics – this style that's crisply contemporary, but which feels as if it's come from a really special place in the spectrum – uniquely suited to the needs of Devon's vocals and lyrics. Titles include "Follow The Leader", "Brown Sugar Queen", "All I Really Wanna Do", "The Recipe", "Right Kind Of Crazy", "Imma Let My Body Move", "Love You Anyway", and "Let The Water Flow". LP, Vinyl record album

A flagship record from the wonderful Dome label – one of the hippest homes to contemporary soul on the other side of the Atlantic – and a company that's given us great music for over two decades! This set is one of their key early releases – a brilliant set from Hil St Soul – a singer who just grew and grew in popularity after this release. Hil's got a sweetly jazzy style – a bit like some of the underground NuSoul singers in the US in at the same time, but maybe with some of the crispness of the London scene too – and she sings here with some nicely restrained arrangements that have a good focus on beats and lots of warm instrumentation over the top, never too hype, just right for her personal style. Titles include "Strictly A Vibe Thing", "Just A Matter Of Time", "Nostalgia", "Concrete Jungle", "Free Spirit", "There For Me", "Until You Come Back To Me", "For Your Love", and "Props". CD