We've loved the music of Shaun Escoffery for many years now – right from that time when he emerged from the UK scene as key talent in the Omar generation – the kind of strong songwriting voice and confident singer that really helped mark a difference from the world of soul in the US! Escoffery has evolved wonderfully over the course of his superb recordings – and here, he continues to grow even more – coming on strong, and maybe with more of a 60s soul inspiration than ever before – kind of a romping, vibrant approach to the music that echoes the Motown generation, while still also sounding immediately contemporary, and graced with a production style that maybe makes Shaun's vocals sound even more powerful than ever! We've been waiting decades for Escoffery to get the international fame he deserves – and maybe this record is the one that will put him over the top, given the strength of the songs and the overall set as a whole. Titles include "River", "Imagine", "Lucky", "Soldier", "Heat", "With These Eyes", "Need To Believe", "Candle", "You Remind Me", and "Surrender". ~ dsutygroove.com
A great little group – and one with a wonderful talent for bringing together soulful styles in a really catchy way – using bits of funk, ala the Brand New Heavies – but also not afraid to go for a tighter hook, too – in a way that reminds of some of our favorite Japanese-only recordings by Swing Out Sister or Workshy! As with both of those groups, there's a great female singer in the lead – the lovely Maria Enrica Lotesoriere, who also wrote all the lyrics – and arrangements are handled by keyboardist Pippo Lombardo, whose sweet keys really hold together the whole thing nicely. Titles include "Colorado Sky", "Another Smile", "One More Chance", "In The City", "What I Deserve", and "Existence". ~ dsutygroove.com
Adrian Younge's plastered his name on the front cover of this debut from Angela Munoz (why does he always do that?) – but the set is definitely a strong calling card for the lady herself – who steps out here with a strength that might well make her a key underground soul talent in years to come! Munoz has a voice that's clearly wonderful at the core – soulful, but very personal – with a range that might belie the individualism she brings to her music at first, but which really draws you into the captivating lyrics of the tunes. And yes, production by Younge is great, as is the musical help from Ali Shaheed Muhammad – but dang it, let the lady stand forth on the cover on her own – as she's a great singer, with plenty to offer. Titles include "I'm In Love", "Feeling The Same", "So Young", "In My Mind", "Stardust", "Can I Get Your Name", "Top Down", and "Don't Show It". ~ dustygroove.com
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