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Column aiming to present 6 glowing with quality tracks, under the “future soul” genus; An amalgam of soul, contemporary R&B and even hip-hop and electronic elements.

-not to be confused with Daley’s “Future Throwback Soul” term-

Lu Wright – ‘British Daisy’

Quick pitch:

Alluring soulful debut single, by British citizen Lu Wright, filtered with jazz & r&b sensitivity!

dynamic: ★★★/5

style★★★★/5

performance:   ★★★★/5

Trivia:

Lu’s breathy, jazzy tones rest beautifully between soul and R&B. The artist grew-up in a home filled with music, listening to everything from the classic soul/jazz maestros of the 50’s and 60’s, like Nina Simone and Sam Cooke, to noughties RnB and Hip Hop outfits such as Outkast, Eminem, Rihanna and Amy Winehouse, this is where her love for songwriting and melody truly began. Since then, her contemporary influences have aligned with the times, citing Little Simz, Anderson Paak, Maverick Sabre and the Blue Note Re: imagined album as huge sources of inspiration.

Lu began writing her own songs at the age of 11, having joined the school choir and taken up singing lessons she quickly progressed into musical theatre, but at 19 realised that it wasn’t quite the right fit and subsequently, made the switch to creating and performing contemporary music.

The young artist recently graduated from the London branch of the BIMM Institute (British and Irish Modern Music Institute) and set to work on her debut EP ‘Notes to self’. It is a body of work that radiates warmth and a magnetic energy, woven together in a narrative that tells of the vulnerability and the solitary venture of self-discovery as a young woman. The 2020 pandemic hit just before the EP was completed and live dates were cancelled, but Lu used that time productively to complete the finishing touches remotely and concentrate on her songwriting. The result is a collection of musically detailed, immaculately produced treats.

Otis Kane – ‘Without You’

Quick pitch:

An ode to the classic love songs“. A vintage 50s/60s scented, neo soul gem….

dynamic: ★★★★/5

style: ★★★/5

performance:   ★★★★/5

Trivia:

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Anthony Vasquez who writes and records as Otis Kane found a passion for music at a very young age. His football coach at the time had ties to the music industry, which led to his first recording studio experience. From then on, Vasquez knew that he wanted to pursue a career in music. He went on to spend one year in school as a music major, but left after he was given the opportunity to work for music legend Nelle Hooper (Soul II Soul, Bjork, No Doubt). He worked and traveled with Nelle for a little over a year before he was offered the position of MD/keyboard player for Capitol Records artist Lolene, touring with Lolene for a year and securing his first major label production on her record. After touring, Otis opened a studio in Los Angeles called STRZ Enterprises. STRZ became a hot spot in Hollywood graced with superstars before he eventually left to pursue his own artist journey.

Photo Credit: Giulia White

Michi & RALPHY.WAV – ‘Fone Secs’

Quick pitch:

Fone Secs’ is about the desire to have phone sex from a female to male perspective. It’s very fitting for the extreme isolation we’ve endured the past year and the yearning to fulfil our sexual desires through physical contact.” A sultry, noir, jazzy, neo soul treat for the “pandemic-struck” generation….

dynamic: ★★★/5

style★★★★★/5

performance:   ★★★/5

Trivia:

Michi is an independent Canadian singer/songwriter/recording artist from Vancouver, Canada. She makes a blend of R&B/Pop, jazzhop, neosoul and lofi music.

(RALPHY.WAV): Hailing from New York City, the Bangkok based electronic music producer/DJ mixes hip hop, future funk, beats, and trap music.

Caleya Black – ‘Nothing at All’

Quick pitch:

An uptempo neo soul/r&b track with a retro feel by Caleya Black.

dynamic: ★★★★★/5

style★★★★/5

performance:   ★★★/5

Trivia:

Caleya Black is an R&B/soul singer/songwriter from New Jersey, whose style is inspired by her gospel roots and love of the Motown-era of music.

Her first release, “Our Song”, quickly became a favorite for those who appreciated a more nostalgic R&B. “One listen to Caleya Black’s single, Our Song, will take you back to time when music that ruled airwaves was so soulful, it became a genre,” declared Urban Magazine (Oct. 2016).

Caleya later released her debut EP, “Still Loves”, in August 2017. For this release, she received notable press coverage from Thisis50. Since then, other popular single releases include “Go There”, “Thing About Love”, and “Love Come Down”.

As a songwriter, Caleya secured a publishing deal in 2019 and received her first series placement with “Go There” on UMC’s 5th Ward, starring Mya and Carl Anthony Payne.

When she isn’t writing, Caleya spends her time performing throughout the NJ tri- state area in venues such as Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar and Madison Square Garden. In March 2019, she was also one of the feature performers for Urban Magazine’s issue launch honoring Dorothy Toran (Real Housewives of NJ).

In early 2018, Caleya was featured on Hot 97’s DJ Magic’s mixtape, Take it to the Streets vol.3.

Caleya plans to release her follow-up EP in the spring of 2021.

Silvertwins of funk – ‘SUNDAY FUNK’ ft M-Rock (Opolopo Rmx)

Quick pitch:

A shameless boogie/funk/soul treat for disco aficionados!

dynamic: ★★★★★/5

style★★★★/5

performance:   ★★★★/5

Trivia:

Silverfunk with a twist of boogie and in presence of the P! Roots in the late 70 and early 80, heading for the future. All music written by Fronkpac, M-Rock and Matt the Guitarman. Lyrics by M-Rock. Produced & mixed by Fronkpac, SilverStof Music. Silvertwins are producer team Fredrik “Fronkpac” Jahn and Mattias “Matt The Guitarman” Adolfsson from Gothenburg, Sweden. Empowered by the Funk Giant Mr Emrik “M-Rock” Larsson, The rolling Stonefunk!

It was silver in the air, shiny, glittering, like the stars, dazzled and open to the Funk Fronkpac dug into his heart and found the One. Like a true funkmachine cant´stop, the echo of the past blended in, a feeling of truth emerged and beats started pumpin. Future, love and da One!

Holy Moly, the Guitar man came along! It was groove time. Matt drowned and sunk, until the groove was embracing all n everyone and no-one was alone anymore. ​ The moment the Silvertwins was born could not be prevented. It had to grow, groove and never stop.

M-rock, the big dancer, the Stonefunk giant, earthquaked heavily. With the love of lost control, there were words, words of ROCK wisdom, in the center of the funk, poetry of the beat, always on the one, in TIME. People! Wake up! We are You! In Silverfunk we trust. Yes it is Time, SilverTwins ft M-Rock

Fable – ‘Orbiting’

Quick pitch:

A mesmerizing blend of trip-hop & neo soul by Brighton-based singer-songwriter Fable.

dynamic: ★★★★/5

style★★★★/5

performance:   ★★★★/5

Trivia:

The strange case of Fable is one such story. Holly Cosgrove was still in her teens when she started turning heads. Born and raised in the pretty Devon resort of Paignton, the daughter of a Glaswegian forklift truck driver, she moved to Brighton in her late teens, reinventing herself as the dark electro-rock entity Fable. An EP created in collaboration with Archive, the huge-in-Europe trip-hop/post-rock outfit, highlighted her powerful, portentous voice and immediately seized the attention. Her early live shows sealed the deal, wowing an intimate crowd at The Great Escape festival and supporting alt rock legends The Cult at their Manchester, Bristol and Brixton Academy shows. Holly was then headhunted by Paul Hartnoll of Orbital to guest on his 8.58 project, with whom she also appeared live, including a slot at Kendal Calling, and performed at Glastonbury in her own right.

Word was spreading fast, and critics were enraptured. The Guardian praised her “brooding cinematic electronica”. Q compared her to “Beth Orton swapping her six string for synthesisers while exploring her darker, more dangerous impulses”. Rolling Stone called her “independent, strong and mysterious”, and Mixmag was bowled over by her “ridiculous quality vocal”. Line Of Best Fit, Popjustice, Clash and CMU also heaped on the hallelujahs, and none other than Gary Numan was moved to rave “What a find”. The buzz around Fable was building to a rumble of breaking thunder. But, for reasons tainted with tragedy, the expected lightning-flash crescendo never came.

“Soul Professor”: Christos Doukakis