You know who he is. He is a man that needs no introduction: Timothy “Timbaland“ Mosely, the most influential producer in hiphop and R&B for the past decade. But what goes up must come down, and it is time we acknowledge the fact that Timbaland is in a serious decline - maybe not success-wise, but surely quality-wise. Read more…
Let’s talk about Mariah Carey. I think she is a perfect example of what differs the musical ideals of contemporary rnb from those of older soul music. You see, Mary J. Blige - that’s a soul singer. Mariah Carey isn’t. But in my book, Mariah’s best songs easily outshines those by Mary. Soul music is about expressing inner conflicts and drama. That’s not what Mariah Carey does - what she does is make music as a form of escapism. She paints the sky with a rainbow of beats and melodies, and lets that rainbow hit the dancefloor. Read more…
Stargate, I hate that I love you. No, actually, it’s more complicated than that: I don’t love Stargate and I’m surprised by the fact that they don’t appeal to me more. After all, I am a sucker for sweet melodies, strong hooks and sophisticated chord changes. And Stargate deliver in all these categories. They are the spearhead of the pop-oriented wave of new rnb that has been washing over us the latest years. Ever since Ne-Yo’s ‘So Sick’ – their big breakthrough as a production team – they have been growing steadily. By now they are one of the biggest and most reliable go-to teams in the industry. Basically, the Stargate duo of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen are for rnb today what The Neptunes were for rap during the first years of this decade. But do they deserve their status? Read more…
I’m looking for a lover not a friend
Frankly, I thought she would be a one-hit wonder.
Somebody who can be there when I need someone to talk to
One summer of bliss, and that would be it. Read more…
In the shivering years at the turn of the millennium, boy bands were everywhere. The Backstreet Boys, ‘Nsync, Westlife and many more - they all contributed to give male vocal groups a bad name, or at least a more narrow audience: young teenage girls and nobody else. But since the decline of the boy band hysteria, the genre has returned to its rnb roots. Enter Git Fresh, the most charming rnb boy band we’ve seen in a decade. Their ‘Booty Music’ is a tribute to the raunchy Florida style of upbeat hiphop - perhaps not an ideal soundtrack for smooth lovemaking, unless you’re energetic like Git Fresh! As the point out: “Everybody don’t like it slow / consider me one of them folks”. The kick-drum is as sharp as anything from the dirty south, the acoustic guitar accompaniment sounds like an enchanting river, and the vocal melody is pure pop; this is music of creative contrasts. To hear a young sweet voice sing lines like “don’t stop, get it, get it/ pop that coochie, I’m-a hit it” - lyrics one expects to hear on a 2 Live Crew record - is as refreshing as it is irresistible. Git Fresh hits the spot.
Git Fresh - Booty Music
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The day Barack Obama won the US presidential election, I was filled with overflowing joy. I needed something that could channel the bubbling emotions inside me, and I knew that the right person to go to was R. Kelly. Although curiously absent from the myriad of artists and celebrities that had spent the last year embracing Barack Obama and his intoxicating agenda of hope and change, R. Kelly is actually the only artist whose over-the-top music equals the glorious path of the Obama campaign. Read more…
Sean Garrett, through his songwriting, wonderfully links aggressive hiphop beats with sweet rnb melodies. Without him, the futuristic sounds of Polow da Don, Lil Jon and Swizz Beatz would probably never have transformed into the smash hits by Ciara, Usher and Beyoncé. He possesses a unique talent, which is why our expectations for his debut album as a solo artist, Turbo 919, were set up high. To me, the album was a disappointment, but it still contains the gem ‘Grippin’’, the Ludacris-featured single. A jazzy chord progression, a melody as sweet as honey and an intoxicating tempo – Sean Garrett attacks the song like a rapper – lead to a chorus that lights up any dancefloor. Luda impresses also, with his teasing delay of the last words of every phrase, and the beat-synched “Bang! Bang! Bang!” shout at the end. A defining moment of 2008.
Sean Garrett ft. Ludacris - Grippin’ (prod. by Sean Garrett)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Is The-Dream’s girl group Electrik Red really missing songs with hit potential?
Covers have played an important part in the history of soul, but whatever happened to them in the music of today?
Day 26 is Bad Boy’s new 112. But are they as good as their source of inspiration?
Do you wonder what happened to the Timbaland magic? Nicolas tells you all about the matter.
We’ve waited three years for Hilson’s debut. Has it been worth it?
Recent Comments