R&B

Blakchyl: “Ja Morant” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

If you were out at ACL Fest this past weekend you might’ve caught Confucius and Fresh from The Breaks at the Bonus Tracks Stage. What were the fellas up to other than getting their buzz on at Zilker? Interviewing a real sultry-voiced stunner, that’s what.

Austin hip-hop/R&B vocalist Blakchyl‘s been building a hell of a brand for herself in the local scene and beyond since her debut EP On Paper in 2019. Alternating between singing and rapping with a beautifully-blunted voice (somewhat reminiscent of fellow Austinite Megz Kelli’s), Blakchyl’s only gotten better on this side of the 2020s. On top of that, Blakchyl’s eagerness to work with others and ability to adapt her eloquent verbal style to complement said guests has made for some super fruitful collaborations, most notably her duo with Nez Tha Villain, G.E.N.I.U.S.’s, eponymous 2022 LP.

This year’s been a big one for Blakchyl, considering she’s already shared two standalone singles, the Call Me Sometimes EP, and, just at the top of October, her full-length Better Than I Imagined. And yeah, as alluded to before, Blackchyl also brought her A-Game to ACL last weekend, playing at the Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage Saturday afternoon, sitting down with The Breaks‘ boys, and even squeezing in a pop-up performance of “Ja Morant” for our multi-media team. It’s pretty clear that Austin is Blackchyl’s court, so we’re hoping to see this poet of a point guard shoot for the MVP in the coming years.

Tribe Mafia: “Take Me” (feat. Erik Goca)

It’s beyond satisfying to hear a homegrown Austin artist not just outside the local city limits, but in a piece of media that gets global reach. And while it may be impossible to top White Denim in the official Nintendo Switch trailer, we gotta give it up to Tribe Mafia for their recent induction into the world of film. Following a formidable debut in 2016, this Austin-based hip-hop/R&B duo’s dropped at least an EP’s worth of singles each year, save for an understandable lull between their March 2020 LP Teepee Gang and last Valentine’s Day’s “Sound of a Heartbreak”. But now, on the other side of the pandemic, Tribe Mafia’s once again in tip-top shape and sharing their gifts at an impressive rate. And it’s not just a matter of quantity over quality; no, these songs could only be sourced from two well-seasoned sonic shaman. And there’s proof in the pudding! One of Tribe Mafia’s latest and greatest found its way not only into the trailer for My Partner, but as an emotional centerpiece of this groundbreaking queer artistic accomplishment. So even if you haven’t seen My Partner yet, if you take a minute to sit black, close your eyes, and let the Erik Goca-featuring “Take Me” paint a picture behind your eyes, you’ll quickly pick up on its intrinsically provocative cinematic pop character, not unlike Swae Lee and Post Malone’s Spiderverse “Sunflower”.

Daniel Fears: “Say Something”

Here at KUTX and Song of the Day, we try to be as dutiful as we can in providing both an accurate representation of the Austin Music Experience and great tunes. But honestly, all talent aside, for some local artists we often have to dig around to find something that’s actually airwave worthy. Daniel Fears, on the other hand? He’s done a damn fine of delivering his fair share of bar-raising originals to Austin’s ever-growing musical accoutrements.

And that’s a big part of why we named him our July 2021 Artist of the Month, right around the release of his debut EP Canopy. Based on its towering soul-R&B-hip-hop caliber, Fears has understandably been flying high off of Canopy over the past couple years. Now that doesn’t mean downfall is in the cards for Daniel Fears anytime soon; no, the consistency of Fears’ artistic drive is still deafening to this day, even if his dynamics of choice are more subdued. Well, following a pair of standalones in 2022, and hot off a Mongolian tour providing brass for Gina Chavez’s band, Daniel Fears sets course clear of mediocrity once again with Enough.

As the title implies, Enough achieves an infectious equipoise of emotional vulnerability and seductive self-esteem thanks to Fears’ faultless falsetto, kaleidoscope of sonic influences, and recognizable calling card of production techniques. On Enough‘s lead single, “Say Something”, there are some clever threads ranging from D’Angelo, Sly Stone, Bobby Womack and even Musiqsoulchild in its final moments, none of which could’ve landed if not for Fears’ top tier backing band. Between a liquid guitar groove, spacious snaps, hypnotic bass, atmospheric keys, and of course, Daniel’s Frank Ocean-esque vocals, safe to assume “Say Something” may just leave you speechless.

B.R. Lively: “Hope in My Heart”

With the oppressive heat and an especially tantalizing 24-hour news cycle, it’s worth taking a moment or two to just breath. So while neither we nor the artists we curate can claim to be mindfulness experts, we feel like today’s feature is pretty fitting for anyone in need of a mindset shift. It comes courtesy of Austin multi-instrumentalist-singer-songwriter Bryan Richard Blaylock (better known as B.R. Lively), whose well…livelihood….lies roughly within the boundaries of folk, outlaw country, southern R&B, and jazz. Lyrically Lively derives a lot from literature, but rest assured, his tunes aren’t so high brow that they’re inaccessible to the layperson. Lively first crested over the horizon with his debut Into the Blue in 2017, and tracked a companion piece fast in the aftermath. Well after nearly a half decade of solo touring across the US, Lively’s back in Austin and eager to unleash those counterpart recordings from their hard drive confines. Where Lively considers Into the Blue as an introspective, melancholic inhale, his sophomore follow-up People completes the process of process aural respiration with an exhalation of poignant wisdom, emotional growth, and realistic optimism; a Yin to Into the Blue‘s Yang. Lively takes the stage next Tuesday at High Noon for the People release show alongside Lola and returns the following Tuesday with Brothers of Mercy. But with scant chances of rain between now and then, let’s leverage those aspirations with “Hope in My Heart”. Co-produced by Band of Heathens collaborator Gordy Quist, mixed by Robert Ellis/Khruangbin engineer Steve Christensen, and arranged by string-and-horn visionary Thomas Avery, the sense of space, level of polish, and discipline of performance on this waltz are all nothing short of jaw-dropping. And as auspicious as it is awe-inspiring, “Hope in My Heart” will reward you with the essence of its title whenever the bleakness has got you feeling meek.

Tobias Lund: “Hurts Just A Little”

This past Monday we premiered something from Norwegian producer-arranger-composer Morten Martens, and his project Les Imprimés. Well, not even a full week later, we’ve got another new Scandinavian tune for you. But unlike Martens, this Nordic songwriter lives right here within the Austin City Limits.

We’re referring to Tobias Lund, who moved here from Copenhagen last year. Sure, the migration was primarily in pursuit of a law degree, but once Lund acclimated to “the Live Music Capital of the World” culture, he quickly felt his artistry ascend to an even higher level. Like anyone with good tastes, Tobias Lund draws a lot from Stevie Wonder’s iconic style of jazz-soul, but you’ll instantly recognize the modern influence of pop-R&B innovators like Eloise and Mac Ayres.

Today, Tobias was kind enough to give us an early listen to his debut studio single, “Hurts Just A Little”, and boy are we glad he did. At a hair over three-and-a-half minutes, “Hurts Just A Little” kicks off with erotic key chords and Lund’s passionate pipes before graduating up to a brilliantly simple drum beat, staccato six-string rhythms, backup call-and-response harmonies, clever bass lines, a couple synth stabs for good measure. Once you’re past the lush choruses, falsetto flourishes, cool-as-hell guitar solo and rousing trumpet riffs, you’ll feel lovey dovey for days to come. All in all? It’s an outstanding first entry into Tobias Lund’s discography, and we frankly can NOT wait for more of this Dane’s dashing and jazzy soul-pop dalliances.

Les Imprimés: “You”

When a genre breaks out of its birthplace, it opens itself up internationally to interpreters and innovators of all kinds. So while we most closely associate the soul sound with Detroit and Memphis, especially amidst this blissful retro-soul resurgence, you can find fascinating takes on soul from corners of the globe you might not expect. Say for example Kristiansand, Norway. That’s the home base of producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Morten Martens. After scoring Norway’s equivalent to a Grammy for hip-hop production back in 2006, Martens’ creative craftsmanship has only evolved alongside his low-key lifestyle; a turn away from touring led Martens to construct his own home studio and turned recording and producing others into a full-time gig. Yet it was only the onset of COVID that gave Martens the time, even in an already-isolated setting, to revaluate all the skills he’d accrued over the years and funnel them all into his ’60s-’70s inspired soul-funk-pop project Les Imprimés. As heard on Les Imprimés’ upcoming debut LP Rêverie, Martens doesn’t exactly have the kind of pipes you’d expect from the classic Motown/Stax era. But backed by vintage-style arrangements and recording techniques, Les Imprimés transcends “blue eyed soul” with truly beautiful originals, all the product of Martens dreaming big. So before getting lost in the dozen-song daydream when Rêverie drops on August 11th, take a step into the time machine with the album’s latest lead single, “You”. Because at a clean three minutes, “You” presents those throwback chart-topping pop formulas in a way that makes it sound like a long-lost Delfonics rarity just got a healthy remaster. We’re calling it now – Morten Martens is on the fast track to becoming Norway’s answer to Kelly Finnigan.

Phyllis Hyman (Ep. 31, 2023)

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. presents a tribute to the late Jazz and R&B singer Phyllis Hyman, with an interview recorded in 1983, discussing her professional music career, which began in 1971 and included many hit recordings, stage and film appearances, and ended with her death by suicide in 1995 at the age of 45.

Blakchyl: “White Tee Shirt”

Among the many lessons we’ve learned from classic rock history, something that stands out against to current trends is the polarity of solo offshoots. Ozzy’s exit created flak within Black Sabbath’s massive fandom, David Lee Roth’s departure from Van Halen led to the havoc of Van Hagar, and Sting’s egress from The Police still hurts for some. But aside from the occasional social media beef, most hip-hop heads will turn their heads with eager ears to hear a contributor to a beloved collective break out on their own – even if it’s just to assess their intrinsic talent. On top of that, Austin’s rap scene plays less of a cutthroat competition and more of a supportive cohort. So imagine the excitement that was spurred at the start of 2019 – two years after Austin outfit Mindz of a Different Kind shared their last LP BORDERLINEZ – when MDK heavy-hitter BLakchyl dropped her debut EP On Paper. BLakchyl followed it up that same fall with the Tåsi collaboration East 10th before graduating up to her feature-laden full-length H02d in the pandemic’s early days. Last October BLakchyl introduced us to yet another collabo – this one with Nez Tha Villain – entitled G.E.N.I.U.S.. Throughout it all, MDK’s been close by and more than willing to hop in-studio with BLakchyl, no matter that it’s technically outside the ensemble’s umbrella. Today, as she continues to navigate the intersectionality of Queer Black womanhood in Central Texas, BLakchyl boldly steps into the world of singing with her sophomore solo EP Call me sometimes. This ambitious album precedes a live appearance 5PM next Wednesday at Waterloo Records for THE DROP and what we hope is the next big springboard in BLakchyl’s still-burgeoning career. The brief, R&B-beveled brilliance of “White Tee Shirt”, whose fabric seamlessly stretches between autotuned hooks and breathy verses, at least earns BLakchyl some extra respectable stripes in this promising solo ascent.

Dante Bowe: “Wind Me Up” (feat. Anthony B)

Happy Juneteenth! Although Juneteenth has been recognized as a U.S. federal holiday for three years now, of course its roots lie here in Texas. So in the rich century-and-a-half tradition of spiritualism, resilience, and commemoration, today we’re celebrating Juneteenth with a North Texas gospel inspiration. Hailing from small town North Carolina and now based out of the Big D, Dante Bowe‘s been blowing up pretty quickly over the past decade; beginning with his self-released 2017 debut Son of a Father and continuing with 2021’s Circles, Bowe’s empowered, contemporary approach to gospel has scored his original tunes tons of streams across the globe. On top of a win for his contributions to Maverick City Music’s Old Church Basement, the past two years at the Grammys have also seen Dante Bowe earn an impressive number of self-earned nominations. Closely coinciding with the recent launch of his own label, TRUE Music, this summer Dante Bowe bestows us with a passionate, self-titled full-length. This eponymous entry finds Bowe bringing his deep gospel roots and persevering voice into the worlds of hip-hop, and reggae with the help of some top-tier collaborators including Jekalyn Carr and Vic Mensa. Just last Saturday, Dante Bowe took part in Hartsville, South Carolina’s Juneteenth Celebration, marking a pretty sturdy midpoint between Dante Bowe‘s drop date on July 21st and the release of its latest single at the top of June. Thanks to Jamaican Rastafari reggae revolutionary Anthony B, “Wind Me Up” circumnavigates the constraints of Christian music with a beach-party-ready bop. “Wind Me Up” lets loose with tack-sharp timbale rolls, steamy rhythm guitar, dancehall-proven drum and bass, and just the best of both worlds when it comes to vocals.

Culture Wars of Austin

Confucius and Fresh discuss why hip-hop and R&B don’t get the respect they deserve in Austin. Then they talk about the most important albums of the last 10 years.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how Rihanna’s ANTI was almost produced by Travis Scott, what superhero Janet Jackson almost played, who Janet’s “Let’s Wait a While” was really about, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that the Black Eyed Peas are the biggest sellouts in hip-hop.

Confucius talks about the Supreme Court’s decision that Alabama’s voting maps need to be redrawn, the staff strike at the Austin American Statesman, how CNN fired their CEO and more on Confucius Reads the News.

Smarter, Not Harder

This week’s edition of The Breaks responds to allegations about 2Pac’s role in the aftermath of the infamous Quad Studios shooting, before breaking down why smarter, even in the hustle culture of hip-hop, is always a better approach than harder.

Hip Hop Facts feature little known tidbits like the reason Cypress Hill is banned from SNL, Jadakiss’ connection to the Notorious B.I.G., Nipsey’s plan for a STEM center, plus some history behind Slim Thug’s Interscope deal and Matthew Knowles.

Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion? There really aren’t male R&B stars like there used to be, and maybe toxic masculinity is to blame.

Finally, Confucius Reads the News about Ken Paxton’s impeachment, Macy’s and Costco’s warning about the economic situation, the debt ceiling resolution, and Boston’s recent Game Seven loss.

Marlei: “Sheesh”

There’s no question that Queen Bey’s court extends to the furthest reaches of the globe. But especially in her hometown of Houston, Beyoncé really is royalty. Her majesty’s legacy – in particular her role in the progression of R&B into trap-pop – continues to shine as a statewide piece of inspiration with its pinnacle smack dab in H-Town.

And although she’s not necessarily taking a shot at Beyoncé’s crown, rising singer-songwriter Marlei could definitely feel at home in “Third Ward Trill”‘s inner circle. Marlei first emerged in Fall 2021 with her incendiary debut single “Burn”, instantly channelling Beyoncé’s regal confidence and sultry, soulful vocals. And today, just in time for rising Texas temps, Marlei’s cranked things way up on her sophomore offering.

Embedded in the steamy essence of the Bayou City, “Sheesh” finds Marlei directly comparing herself to the Queen and Ariana Grande before accepting and amplifying her own intrinsic audacity. Produced by Zayn/Mind of Mine magic ear XYZ, “Sheesh”‘ll have you saying its namesake thanks to Marlei’s lilting intervals, disciplined harmonies, and a sense of unbridled sassiness that might even make Sasha Fierce use her safe word.

KindKeith: “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE” (feat. 8bit_gf)

Happy Pride Month! As an advocate, it’s beyond encouraging to hear so many openly Queer Austinites sharing their art, spreading the love, and scoring pretty good opportunities here in our fair city. In that respect, we’ve got a live show recommendation to kick off June in proper form. It comes on behalf of singer-producer KindKeith, who first emerged with their 2019 single “Veronica’s Mom”. KindKeith’s sound has since matured over the course of two EPs and one full-length, cementing a genre-fluid, drizzled-in-synth style that sits somewhere between Thundercat and SiR. Picking up where last summer’s DON’T TALK TO ME >:( left off, KindKeith recently teamed up with Austin’s 8bit_gf for kind of a sonic curveball compared with prior expectations. While 8bit_gf’s debut streaming single “4NG3L W 4 9UN” basks in between hyperpop and drum n bass and KindKeith’s last EP leans on laid back grooves, “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE“ cranks the beat repeat effect way up to carve a glitchy niche outside KindKeith’s trademark R&B. The pair celebrate with a release show tomorrow night at Swan Dive; 8bit_gf gets it started at 9:30 followed by Yonah B and EddieAngel before KindKeith wraps things up just after midnight. Til then, enjoy the start of June with a tune inspired by mutual early-twenties struggles with sexuality and gender identity. Between its unorthodox triplet percussion, 8bit_gf’s pitched up pipes and some extra glittery guitar that engorges before grinding the whole song to a halt, “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE” is a modern waltz of frustration, revelation, and acceptance.

Do Austin Artists Deserve Opening Slots

Fresh and Confucius talk about whether more touring shows should feel obligated to put Austin artists on their bills. And they debate the importance of deep cuts on albums.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about the story behind Ginuwine’s “Same Ol’ G,” why Aaliya’s “Come Over” almost didn’t happen, what record Tina Turner holds, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that Snoop Dogg’s “Doggiestyle” is better than Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic.”

Confucius talks about Ron DeSantis botched presidential campaign announcement on Twitter Spaces, the movement on the deal to raise the debt ceiling, what’s been happening during the Texas legislative session and more on Confucius Reads the News.

Lew Apollo: “NEED YOUR LOVIN”

At the top of March, we praised Walker Lukens for his willingness to help up-and-comers in need of a keen production ear early on in their career. So you can imagine our excitement when we began to see credits from our August 2021 Artist of the Month BLK ODYSSY pop up in the wild. BLK ODYSSY’s latest collaborator? Austin-via-Minnesota singer-guitarist Lewis “Lew” Apollo.

Sadly, Lew Apollo’s recent alley-oop from boozy live blues-rock performances to BLK ODYSSY’s slick in-studio wheelhouse hasn’t been all that pleasant of a trajectory. It actually coincided with the loss of both his father and a friend to suicide last Fall, an unimaginable trauma that’s become a bittersweet impetus, a tragic catalyst for a creative pivot. In tribute, Lew Apollo’s since dedicated his songwriting to normalizing some of life’s most troubling obstacles – isolation, entrapment, anxiety, temptation, and depression – in hopes of making listeners feel less alone with their own struggles.

As part of that transition, Lew Apollo’s allowed BLK ODYSSY to come on board as producer and co-writer for Lew’s deeply personal debut EP JUNGLE. The machete-sharp cuts on JUNGLE take a leap into rock-R&B concoctions and neo-soul seductions, which remind us that some of the harshest environments can be our immediate internal and external surroundings, not perched at the top of a dense canopy or stalking the bottom of a rainforest floor. And in tandem with Apollo’s passion for providing a sense of belonging to those who may be in crisis, JUNGLE drops in the midst of Mental Health Awareness Month on Friday, May 12th. The release show is 8PM that same evening at The Pershing and JUNGLE‘s third single comes out on Friday, but we just gotta give it up to a track that came out in early March. Featuring KUTX favorite Grace Sorensen and unapologetically emotional, “NEED YOUR LOVIN” steers away from the distorted guitar of its Black Angels-esque predecessor “TROUBLE ON MY MIND” for an alluring, atmospheric, and reverb-drenched, harmony-heavy falsetto foray. Bonus points for blunt brevity, unbridled bass riffs, and an effervescent vibraslap at its tail that lends a seals some finality to this near-three-minute masquerade.

Girl Ultra: “Llama” (Live at Scholz Garden)

As mentioned on Monday, our Scholz Garten guest Son Rompe Pera did an outstanding job of representing Mexico City’s diverse scene for our live morning broadcast last week. And while SRP made an impression that’ll surely have folks talking til next SXSW, they weren’t the only ones bridging capitals; we were also fortunate enough to have M.C. native Nan de Miguel on deck, better known as Girl Ultra. Seven years after she first got signed, Girl Ultra’s grip on undulating melodies and bilingual verbal abilities have escalated her into the upper caliber of Latin R&B rockstars like Kali Uchis and Nathy Peluso. By building on an already-rich reputation for adaptability and sonic variety (including an appearance on Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodélicos), last April, Girl Ultra branched out to genres like U.K. two-step, indie pop, alt-rock, and even orchestral Bossa nova on her latest studio release, EL SUR. Well, last week Girl Ultra brought some of EL SUR, Nuevos Aires (2019) and Adiós (2018) north of the border and into our city limits. On Friday morning Girl Ultra got up onstage at Scholz Garten and gave it her all with hybrid arrangements that beautifully blended backing track samples with live instrumentation. The set certainly attracted a pack of new listeners like everyone’s favorite camelids (sorry, alpacas) thanks to lush renditions that included the album opener from Girl Ultra’s 2018 sophomore EP Adiós, “Llama”.

Geto Gala: “Sumn’ to Say” (Live at Scholz Garten)

After years of supporting Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd individually, it’s beautiful watching them both earn exponential exposure with this hip-hop/R&B phenomenon that is Geto Gala. The latest phase of a fruitful friendship, Brown and Lloyd had already shared a fair amount of stages together pre-pandemic before capitalizing on their bar-trading chemistry with their eponymous February 2021 studio debut. Alongside its delightfully-southern Chopped and Slowed counterpart, The Geto Gala EP probably played a part in Brown and Lloyd separately scoring their first official ACL Fest sets last October, where informal versions of the full Geto Gala band ended up backing each solo performer.

Between then and now, the Geto Gala gang’s apparently upped their game for a whole gauntlet of live gigs, at least based off the applause they garnered last Thursday morning when they transfigured our Scholz SXSW space into the Geto Garten. With a set that’d make Big Pokey proud, and a crowd that was happy to “fifth wheel” alongside the band, Geto Gala sure as hell had “Sumn’ to Say” at SXSW. We’re just hoping our invitation’s still good for the next Gala.

Yazmin Lacey: “Bad Company”

SXSW provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy international artists right here in our own city limits. Yet for some, the city-wide wanderlust can get overlapped by a desire to discover acts from specific regions. Well, fortunately for those folks, there are a ton of origin-curated SXSW showcases scheduled for this week, both officially and unofficially. For UK music enthusiasts, consider stopping by BBC Presents: The British Music Embassy, whose eclectic across-the-pond 2023 roster includes stunning up-and-comer Yazmin Lacey. Like many singers-in-the-making, Lacey got her start in church choir before her ears caught on to hip-hop, soul, and R&B. But, like her contemporary Danielle Ponder, Lacey didn’t pursue music professionally until the late 2010s, when she was already past the “prime” age which most creatives launch their career. Nevertheless Lacey impressed us with beautiful, reactionary honesty in a three-EP progression at the turn of the past decade; 2017’s Black Moon, 2018’s When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees, and 2020’s Morning Matters. Since the start of March, Yazmin Lacey’s been riding high on her astonishing, moment-capturing hour-long inaugural full-length Voice Notes, which has already cemented her status as a neo-soul sensation. If you want to hear this modern day mashup of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and more in person, you’re in luck; Yazmin Lacey entertains our airwave neighbors KMFA at 3PM today before making a two-night run on 4th Street: 9PM tonight for British Music Embassy at The Courtyard and again 9PM tomorrow for Jazz re:Freshed Outernational at Seller’s Underground. So show some support by diving into Voice Notes on streaming or by joining the crowd downtown. Either way, you’ll find yourself in delightfully “Bad Company“.

Passiflora: “SOMS”

Next week is South By South West, which means it’s been three whole years since SXSW 2020’s abrupt cancellation marked the beginning of our ongoing COVID climate. Of course, we now recognize several silver linings, mainly the sudden abundance of free time to follow through with unrealized creative projects, some of which haven’t been heard until now.

Take for example Austin trio Passiflora. Passiflora’s first root came from a cross-pollination of genre interests between guitarist Rudy Durham, singer Lauren Harris, and drummer Raul Luevano sometime under the veil of the pandemic. What sprouted as an experiment in hybridizing indie, R&B, and jazz has since bloomed into a collective one-of-a-kind passion project. Their style reminds us of turn-of-the-millennium neo-soul innovators like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, albeit with an extra jazzy sense of adventure, manifested as time signature changes, enthralling chord progressions, and killer polyrhythms.

For their appropriately-named debut EP eponymous, Passiflora brought The Point bassist Jack Montesinos into the mix, and dang does he fit right in the pocket. eponymous is out this Friday, Passiflora performs at Continental Club Saturday, March 25th, and today they pass along the album’s final lead single. Acronymized as “SOMS”, “Sun on my Skin” begs to be enjoyed under brighter skies by basking in dreamy keys, breezy drum brushes, and, of course, Harris’ siren singing that heralds the start of spring and’ll subconsciously make you want to put this “f***ing record on repeat”.

Akina Adderley: “Where Does The Love Go?”

I’ve already chimed in on the use of the word “songstress” plenty before, so I might as well lend my piece to the discourse once again. For me, unless we’re talking about Ella Fitzgerald or Etta James, the term “songstress” comes off as kind of archaic. Like, it’s 2023; should we really single out artists based on sex instead of…you know…altogether ditching an engendered midcentury descriptor and letting the music speak for itself?

Short answer: Sometimes…maybe.

Exhibit A: Austin’s Akina Adderley. Full-bodied performances, unfettering feminist energy, and a direct link to jazz-and-R&B-defining greats? Yeah. That’s a songstress. As the grand-niece of Cannonball Adderley, granddaughter of Nat Adderley, and daughter of Luther Vandross Music Director/Co-Songwriter Nat Adderley, Jr., genre transcendence is literally encoded in Akina’s DNA. And between her eponymous octet, NORI and Charlie Faye & The Fayettes, plus numerous guest appearances on Austin-produced albums, Akina just doesn’t miss.

Akina has some don’t-miss shows over the next couple months, but she’s stolen today’s spotlight thanks to her latest studio single. And it’s the best kind of love song – the torch variety. Bookended by Nat Jr.’s explorative ivories, “Where Does The Love Go?” would make for an intimately welcome intermission between Frank Sinatra’s Only the Lonely and Billie Holiday’s Music for Torching. The sense of space in this arrangement is nothing short of astonishing, easily matching the calibre of your favorite orchestral tearjerkers. The only thing we’re surprised by is that “Where Does The Love Go?” isn’t a Broadway darling…at least not yet.