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Free at last soul serris4/10/2023 ![]() ![]() But Taylor also brings some of the rougher, grittier features that distinguish neo-soul from its predecessor. Drawing heavily on classic soul sounds, brass textures, and jazz changes, Taylor’s tunes are big on tenderness and sensuality. Of all the artists on this list, London’s Aaron Taylor stays truest to the roots of neo-soul. Growing up between Germany and the US, Dijon is based in Los Angeles, but calls Maryland home – which maybe says something about the surprising, almost Americana-y influences you’ll hear here. With heavy folk and indie influences accompanying the R&B-esque vocals, the singer and songwriter’s debut solo EP is saturated with tingling falsetto, glistening acoustic guitars, and even slide guitar. Dijonĭijon’s hazy, folky How Do You Feel About Getting Marriedhas been one of the most interesting records in the soul space to emerge in recent years. Downtown Kayoto’s optimistic lyrics are heavy on themes of identity, self-development, and moving forward. Releases including the sweetly addictive ‘ Feels Like,’ and ‘ Do Better’ are deeply melodic, and come with some stunning visuals. Hailing from near the Victoria Falls in Zambia, Downtown now calls the somewhat-less-romantic Kingston-upon-Hull his home – something which he carries proudly. Downtown Kayotoĭowntown Kayoto’s discography is experimental and diverse, and his latest releases have seen his sound coagulate into something firmly alt-R&B. They nail the ‘drunk’ hip-hop grooves live, and this combined with the rich synths, and Bhattacharjee’s floating melodies make them a very pleasant listen. Based in Leeds, and benefitting, no doubt, from the strong jazz presence in that city, Noya Rao lean towards the more electronic side of the genre, with synths providing the foundational texture of their sound. Noya Raoĭescribing themselves as electronic-soul, the heavy hip-hop influence in Noya Rao’s grooves, and the lilting voice of singer Olivia Bhattacharjee camp them within the neo-soul space. Her single ‘Hate on Me’ is a flawless example of the British variety of neo-soul, with its understated soul hooks, and lyrical themes of personal empowerment and self-affirmation. Part of Gilles Peterson’s esteemed Future Bubblers programme, Mali Hayes’ smooth, soulful delivery has made her the perfect fit for collaborations with the likes of UK hip-hop heavyweights Foreign Beggar and Leeds’ Abstract Orchestra (make sure to check these out). Hailing from Manchester, Mali Hayes has been making waves across the UK with her heavily R&B-influenced brand of neo-soul. Check out her recent single ‘ Morning Matters.’ Mali Hayes Understated and restrained, in her live performances, Lacey carries an air of humility and warmth – a curious juxtaposition to the coolness of her music, underpinned with hip-hop and jazz grooves.Īt its core, Yazmin Lacey’s music bears the distinctive marks of neo-soul, as she builds on jazz and soul foundations to create something distinctly contemporary, capturing the essence of what the genre has come to mean. Yazmin Lacey’s steady, low-energy jazz soul vibes have resonated in a big way across the UK jazz scene. The artists in this list are cases-in-point of how varied the genre can be, borrowing from its soul roots and further afield to develop some of the vibiest neo-soul out there. Neo-soul has a close relationship with R&B, so this list features a number of artists whose music draws heavily on R&B, as well as indie, jazz, and even folk. All these years later in 2022, there’s no shortage of neo-soul artists taking the genre forward. Two seminal records of the genre – D’Angelo’s Voodoo and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun – turned twenty in 2020. Now in its third decade, neo-soul is no passing craze. ![]()
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