Daptone Us レコード& CD

Review: Jalen Ngonda shares two 7"-incarnated selections from his debut album Come Around and Love Me. Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Jalen perform live knows that he is one of the most captivating performers on today's soul scene. His voice, equal parts raw feeling and elegance, exudes confidence and charm - disarming packed rooms of rowdy concert-goers, leaving them silent as they hold fast to every syllable sung. For his studio project, however, Ngonda and his team at Hive Mind Studios in Brooklyn developed skulful blends, heavy arrangements and introspective lyrics with a Motown sophistication, leaving the listener in a blissful wash of wonderment. Ngonda creates a classic approach that is rooted in the sounds of revered pioneers, without falling into imitation; most symptomatic of this is the beautiful cinematic soul echoer 'What Is Left To Do', a song sure to dazzle for years to come.

Review: For Maria Raquel, there is no fear when it comes to following her passion. Whether it be moving from Colombia to New York to follow her dream, or getting onstage with the greats of Latin music, Maria does no second guessing. On her debut album Mucha Mujer, Maria dives headfirst into the classic sounds of boleros and cumbias, spotlighting her smoky alto amidst a live 16 piece orchestra of percussion, strings, horns, bass and guitar. Featuring all original compositions and recorded to analog tape, Mucha Mujer is reminiscent of classic recordings by artists like Omara Portuondo, Celia Cruz, and La Lupe, yet Maria Raquel breathes new life into these classic genres - the haunting yearning of the boleros contrasting with the pulsing insistence of Cumbia. Featuring some of New York's top Latin musicians such as Reuben Rodriguez (Tito Puente), Marcos Lopez (Marc Anthony), Ivan Renta (Eddie Palmieri), and arranged and produced by Mike Eckroth (Orquesta Akokán) and Jacob Plasse (Los Hacheros), Mucha Mujer introduces the world to a spellbinding new talent.