The title certainly gets it right – as the great keyboardist Bob Baldwin turns over some sweet mellow takes on the classic music of Stevie Wonder! Bob's the mainman at the helm for most of the record – working on Fender Rhodes, piano, and other keyboards – and even vocalizing just a bit – and there's also sweet instrumental contributions on the album from U-Nam and Chieli Minucci on guitars, Marion Meadows and Ryan Kilgore on saxes, and Ragan Whiteside on flute – all players who know just how to get into the right sort of 70s vibe that Baldwin's going for on the record! The focus on Stevie's tunes makes the album a bit hipper than some of Bob's other recent albums – although we also like those quite a bit – and titles include "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Creepin", "The Real Thing/Keepin It Real", "Superwoman/Where Were You When I Needed You Most", and "Love's In Need Of Love Today" – plus the Baldwin originals "Stevie" and "Wonder Wander". (Jazz, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Dudley's second full length for Stones Throw under his own name – third overall, counting his debut as Declaime – and one of the most surefooted, soul-steeped Madlib productions of the era! Again, Madlib wisely leans on warm funk and soul beats and samples to back Dudley, but it's a little lighter on the murk and grit this time, better to match Dudley's more confident vocals. Dudley's voice leads the way with a charismatic mix of laidback singing and rhymes. Great stuff – a low key masterclass in funky hip hop soul! 13 tracks in all, including "Funky Dudley", "The Last Stand", "Dear God", "Come Here My Dear", "Testin' Me", "Get On Up", "Dolla Bill", "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" and "Separate Ways". (Hip Hop, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is sometimes an artist completely unto himself – part of a contemporary underground that's always shaking free of genres and labels with each new expression – yet here, he's also got a key partner in crime through the production work of Lynyn, who brings this soaring sensibility to the record that really takes off in a great way! Most songs start slow, the percolate quickly – with Nnamdi's vocals muted somewhere in the mix, yet a key presence in the power of the way things emerge – sometimes tinged with retro elements on the production or instrumentation, but very future forward throughout. Sen Morimoto guests on "You Don't Know" – and other cuts include "Backseat", "Doing Too Much", "Barely Reason For A Smile", and "Glass Casket (rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album, and one that's a bit hard to describe on words (which means you might want to run over to the bandcamp link!) – as Naima Farao has all the jazzy currents you might expect from her first name, but also opens up here in a blend of cosmic soul, spacey instrumentation, and all sorts of other really cool touches – a bit like some of the post-jazz London experiments in recent years, but with some deeper soul currents in the mix on most numbers! Naima's got a breathy way of singing at times, which really sparkles with the instrumentation – yet she can then swing into a deeper style that's equally powerful, and which takes off and runs on the best tunes. The set features guest appearances from Ilhan Ersahin and Napoleon Maddox – and titles include "Vortex", "Heirloom", "Run", "Buoyancy Of Water", "Process", "Roll Back In", and "Increase The Light". 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