14 MUSIC REVIEWS hotmusic
Album Of The Month
The Weeknd - Trilogy
2012 XO & co ‘Trilogy’ is Canadian recording artist The Weeknd’s, first release on a major record label. It comprises remastered versions of his 2011 series of mixtapes - House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence. As a three- part CD it features 30 tracks for your listening pleasure.
If you like RnB with a dark undertone then this album is for you as the boundaries of RnB music are pushed and distorted by an interesting production set that makes the Weeknd sound unique to anything else on the market. Tracks like ‘What you need’ ‘Wicked Games’ and ‘Coming Down’ are definitely worth a listen.
Whatever
Afro Beats: Bomeka – Atumpan
Star rating:H H H H Over the past few years Afrobeats has established itself as a new and exciting genre here in the UK, growing, expanding and finally taking its place in the club alongside all other popular music. One of the biggest Afrobeats hits to date has to be ‘The Ting’ by Ghana’s Atumpan. This song was and still is an Afrobeats anthem but having seen the artist live at Somerset House earlier in the year and following his career closely since I’m confident in saying his new single ‘Bomeka’ will definitely be a guaranteed floor-filler. ‘Bomeka’ which translates as ‘Get Money’ has all the necessary ingredients to have the clubs going crazy. The West Coast of Africa has enjoyed the energy Atumpan brings to music and its time for the UK to do the same. Words: Vinnie Vii
RnB/ Soul: Keyshia Cole - Woman to Woman 2012 Geffen Records
Star rating:H H H H After a short break from the recording studio, ballad queen Keyshia Cole returns to the scene with her fifth album ‘Woman to Woman’. We can always trust Keyshia to lay it on the line and let her song writing and powerful vocals tell the story of a woman scorned. Stand out tracks include ‘ Zero’ feat. Meek Mills and first track on the album, ‘Enough of No Love’ feat. Lil Wayne. For the most part is a down tempo album the slightly pop infused track ‘Stubborn’ somewhat lifts the mood. On the whole this is a very good album.
Team RnB vs Hip Hop
Happened to.. Montell Jordan
‘This Is How We Do It’, ‘Let’s Ride’, ‘, ‘Get I
et ItOn T n Tonite’,
Montell Jordan was indeed a hit- maker. Jordan exploded onto the scene in 95 with aforementioned No.1 hit, ‘This Is How We Do It’, and was also a gifted songwriter penning tracks for the likes of Christina Milian, Deborah Cox and Sisqo. However in 2010 Montell called it quits on music to becoming a Worship Minister and has since released a Christian album.
Team RnB - Solange Knowles - Losing you With her ‘True’ EP recently released (Nov 27) I thought it only fitting that Solange Knowles’ break out track ‘Losing You’ be my Team RnB pick this month. It starts with African drums, a hand clap and what sounds like a bird’s squaw then in comes the 80s synthesizer. It’s creative, it’s refreshing and its mesmerising. In ‘Losing You’ Solange’s vocals take on a haunting tone reminiscent of Sinead O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares To You’ a tone befitting of an ode to a lost love. I’m in love with this song and I’m in love with the as creative shot in SA video. Whatever you’ve got up your Team Hip Hop sleeve Les, you can’t deny this track is oozing hotness!
Team Hip Hop - Rah Digga - Never Back Down - 2012 Coalmine Records When it comes to this section of the magazine, I am like my hip hop track of the month, ‘I Never Back Down’ by one of the most underrated female MC’s Rah Digga. This, another one of my heavy weight tracks has the potential to provide me with a TKO! It has the grittiest beat that takes you back to the old school when Flipmode was the squad, and Rah’s earthy lyrics added dimension to the male dominated hip hop game. This is a battle track where Rah’s lyrics such as “ Never lost my mojo, me backing down no…Hell to the no no!”, only shows that like me she means business!
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