Ameriie – Out Loud

When she announced the shows in London new music was inevitable. What I wasn’t expecting was Rich Harrison to turn-up and gatecrash the party! OMG!!!

The drums are on fire! Out Loud takes the signature sound the two cemented on her sophomore album and ramps it all up. Ameriie’s vocals float over the top and makes the near decade they were apart seem like a short coffee break. If this is anything to go by we should be keeping every part of our body crossed for a new album. Those drums are killer.

Oh, and by the way, that isn’t a spelling mistake. Amerie has changed her name to Ameriie. I’m not gonna Google to find out why because I like living with the mystery. Although it would be pretty funny if we found out her name was always Ameriie and it was just no one notice for 10 years!

Estelle & Jussie Smollet – Conqueror

Who would have known a TV series about the record label would be so darn good. When I first settled down to watch Empire, I was somewhat surprised by the quality of the music. Then again, when I first settled down to watch the show I was unaware Timbaland was Exec Producing!

Towards the end of the first season (which ends tonight) they have been introducing more and more featured artists (even Courtney Love got a look in).  Conqueror features Estelle is far and away my favourite song from the show (so far – I hear Snoop is in the finale). An uplifting record which just energises the spirit. “I rather stand tall / Than live on my knees” Estelle powers out, “Try telling me nooooooo!! / One thing about mee-eee /Is I am a conqueror”. Come on, with lyrics like that pounding out while Estelle and Jussie throw-in ad-libs I thought I could go 10 rounds with Mayweather.

If you’re every feeling low, down on you luck, whatever, stick this on and I guarantee you will feel 20-feet tall!

Bluey Robinson – Paris

Bluey Robinson is back and doing his best to channel his inner Maxwell. Paris is such a great record. A super smooth slice of R&B which reminded me how great R&B is when it tiptoes the borderline of Neo-Soul.

At the end of the chorus, Bluey hopes his former lover finds what she’s looking for. Don’t know about her, I know I have found exactly what I was looking for from an R&B record and it’s all wrapped up nicely in five minutes twenty-eight seconds… and even includes a guitar solo for good measure.

By the way, what is about Paris that makes R&B singers bring their best. Hearing this reminded me of when Mateo sung a song called Paris.