Nu-Soul Magazine’s Musings

As 2008 comes to a close it is time to take a look back at those moments that made the year so special. There were plenty of great albums that came though our office in 2008 but alas there can only be 10 on this list (so sorry if you didn't make it. don't send hate mail). Contrary to what many may think Nu-Soul is not simply about soul music or the neo-soul and R&B world but the soul music diaspora and we really pride ourselves on bringing to light the talents of underexposed or unknown artists. The following list does not reflect the opinions of everyone at the company but simply those of Norman Mayers, our editor in chief. Out of hundreds of CDs that came across his desk in 2008, these 10 discs created the biggest impact. Feel free to take a listen to the sample tracks to get a taste of the sounds and then download or order the album for yourself or for a Holiday gift. Every album on this list is a solid listen! 1. Eric Lau, New Territories Genre: Soul/Hip-Hop/Nu-Jazz Producer Eric Lau's debut is pure perfection. A soothing blend of classic soul, contemporary soul, and broken beat flavor with a rotating roster of capable vocalists. Play from beginning to end over and over again. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 2. The Foreign Exchange, Leave It All Behind Genre: Soul/Electronica/Hip-Hop In a year when Nicolay produced two amazing albums, this collaboration with Little Brother's Phonte comes out on top. An impossibly gorgeous piece of work that wraps Phonte's vocals along with guests Musinah, Yahzarah,and Darien Brockington in some truly organic and emotional soul/electronic hybrid productions. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 3. Kissey Asplund, Plethora Genre: Soul/Electronica/Nu-Jazz The prolific Kissey Asplund has become the female face of a growing scene. Her instant classic debut delivers the goods with its quirky take on neo-soul, nu-jazz, and broken beat. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 4. Afta-1, Aftathoughts Vol. 1 Genre: Hip-Hop/Soul/Electronica Flying Lotus may have grabbed all the headlines in 2008 but producer Afta-1's astounding debut shines with a slightly more accessible approach to instrumental hip-hop that remains just as avant-garde and beautiful. So hot, Peter Hadar copped one of the beats for his lead single. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 5. Santogold, Santogold Genre: Electronica/Experimental/Soul If Grace Jones and M.I.A. produced a love child it might sound something like Santogold. This mutant hybrid of dubstep, breakbeat, reggae, and new wave brought some decidedly underground movements to the forefront of popular music. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon 6. Replife, The Unclosed Mind Genre: Hip-Hop/Nu-Jazz/Electronica Connecting hip-hop to both its past and its future, this incredible MC worked with such impressive talents as Mark de Clive-Lowe, Kissey Asplund, Bugz in the Attic, and Erik Rico, to produce a future music opus that encompassed jazz, soul, and broken beat and utilized complex lyrics and imagery. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the interview 7. Solange, Sol-Angel & the Hadley St. Dreams Genre: Soul/Pop/Electronica In a year when Beyonce had all the single ladies telling their men to put a ring on it, younger sibling Solange actually delivered the stronger album. By channeling her inner Amy Winehouse and hooking up with Cee-Lo, Bilal, Mark Ronson, and the Neptunes, Solange combined confessional lyrics with a 60s girl group vibe for a surprising and inspiring sound that was as experimental as it was catchy. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 8. Wayna, Higher Ground Genre: Soul She may be beautiful but she has plenty on her mind. Wayna's sophomore release touches on subjects such as domestic abuse, police brutality, and social injustice, all to impeccably produced progressive head nodding beats. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the interview 9. Robyn, Robyn Genre: Pop/Electronica/Soul Sassy electro-pop from Sweden. Shit talking Robyn takes drum & bass beats, breaks, and electro and fuses them with crystal clear pop melodies to create sheer joy. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review 10. Hil St. Soul, Black Rose Genre: Soul/Nu-Jazz This often overlooked British songstress created this slick set of well-written, cleanly produced tracks that preach of personal empowerment and other positive messages. Purchase: Itunes / Amazon Read the review To be fair, the following albums just fell short of making it into our TOP 10 but they are definitely among our favorite of the year: Peter Hadar, Well Dressed For the Art Show Ra-Re Valverde, A Beautiful Mess Black Spade, To Serve With Love J*Davey, The Beauty in Distortion/Land of the Lost Dwele, Sketches of a Man

~ by nusoulmagazine on December 1, 2008.