Hil
St Soul exits Dome for Gut with sophomore set
Hil
St Soul
(born Hilary
Mwelwa)
follows up her successful 2000 debut release 'Organic
Soul'
with her recently released sophomore set 'Copasetik
& Cool'.
The British soul songstress's new album is also the first for new
label Gut
Records
as she has left Dome due to creative differences!
The new albums
has a steady stream of soulful classic tracks most of which were
co-written by Hilary with long time collaborator and friend Victor
Redwood Sawyer
(aka VRS) Victor also served as producer on the album. American
duo Peter
Lord and Jeffrey
Smith (of
The Family
Stand
fame) and songwriter Gordon
Chambers
(who has written for the likes of Anita Baker) also collaborated on
the album as well. The album is wall to wall funk laden beats,
powerful vocals, great harmonies and heartfelt lyrics - from the
classic mid tempo ballad Pieces
- a a sensual love song – to the up tempo feel-good vibe of ‘Alright’.
Indeed these tracks encapsulate the two sides of the album –
medicine for the heart and the soul. The album also features vocals
from Mercury Music Award nominee Roots
Manuva on
the title track Copasetik
& Cool.
The lead off
single 'All
that (plus
a bag of chips)'
has steadily climbed the UK charts and looks like another winner for
the young Zambian born/London reside lass and this set should see her
climb into even higher territories abound.
__________________________________________________________________
Dwele's
debut set is picked up by Virgin
If
you haven't praised his name then you will (trust me) you will.
Detroit native Dwele
(who's
birth name is Andwele
Gardner)
has been bubbling for quite some time now on the Detroit soul and
hip hop circuit, making appearances most recently with Slum
Village on their
excellent track 'Tainted'
but little was known to the general public of the man's own music.
-
- Back in 98 Dwele
has put together a tape of 12 original compositions called 'Rize'
which he then made about 100 copies of and sold them out of his
car. Songs like A.N.G.E.L, No
Doubt, Too Fly and
Melodies are truly classic modern
soul at it's very best - smooth, rich deep like undertones based
with the sweet introduction of synths and strings not to forget
a solid bass line throughout - simply brilliant stuff.
-
- Since then some of those songs
has surfaced on the internet and dedicated soul fans (myself included)
cannot sing enough praise about this talented singer songwriter
and it seems a major label has taken notice too as Virgin has signed
him to release the album in March of next year. I urge you to pick
up this one truly you won't be disappointed there's something for
everyone on there and a must have for any true
soul fan. Be on the look out for it.
__________________________________________________________________
New
Alicia Keys track is the 'Juiciest'
-
The
'princess of modern soul' Alicia
Keys
has had herself some year winning awards and praise alike from
the industry and now she returns with a brand new track for her
adoring public. The song called 'Juiciest'
samples and mirrors the late Notorious
B.I.G's
anthem hit of 96 'Juicy'
and has a reference to the fallen rap star in the song itself.
The
song (taken from the
Funk
Master Flex Mix tape Vol. 5)
is very well produced and finds her highness harmonizing in fine
tune. This one will not disappoint any of her loyal followers as
she delivers yet another fine performance.
Another hit for Miss Keys who's currently doing a benefit with Shaun
'P.
Diddy'
Comds
to raise awareness of the deadly disease AIDS in South Africa. (I'm sure there's going to be a remix
on this one).
-
-
-
- Whitney
speaks out on primetime TV
With
a new album due out this week (a lot earlier than anticipated according
to some reports) Whitney has chosen to break her silence and
speak out. In an taped interview with ABC's
Diane Sawyer
for the syndicated news show 'Primetime' Whitey goes on record about
a number of issues including drugs, trouble with the law and husband
Bobby. When asked about the 'devil' and which one was the most lethal
she replied herself (but wouldn't say which she abused). The album
as she puts it 'is about surviving, raising a family, being a wife
or girlfriend and all the challenges that go along with those things,
these songs are more about creating a mood than about anything in
particular' she said in a statement.
The album's
current single, "One
Of Those Days,"
produced by She'kspere, has been holding it's own at number 38 on
Billboard's Hot/R&B Singles & Tracks chart for the past
several weeks. The album Just
Whitney
features additional production from Babyface,
Missy
Elliott, Teddy
Bishop,
and Gordon
Chambers,
among others.