CVK
I was reading Teen Vogue (yes I know I’m pushing 30, but I just can’t resist the pocket-size format and the cute clothes!) and saw a review of this new artist from the U.K. — Corinne Bailey Rae. I googled her and came across this article:

Joints from the likes of Steve Spacek and Massive Attack prove that the United Kingdom is home to some of soul music’s most trend-setting artists. British musicians have a knack for filtering their classic influences into grooves that innovate rather than replicate. The latest light from the land of shepherd’s pie and spotted dick is Corinne Bailey Rae. Her singles, “Put Your Records On” and “Like A Star,” have been making waves across Europe for months now. Her first album, Corinne Bailey Rae (EMI), debuted in late February at number one on the U.K. charts, and it’s currently available Stateside as an import.

Rae is biracial, the daughter of a West Indian father and a Yorkshire mother, and her music is as diverse as her background. It bears a vaguely folksy edge, courtesy of the acoustic guitar she plays on several tracks. It also bears elements of jazz thanks to her complex phrasing and the world-weary timbre of her pipes. The end result could easily have lacked a consistent theme, but the production—heavy on the viscous bass—keeps things firmly in the land of modern, hip-swaying R&B.

Rae isn’t as adventurous as some of her countrymen, so if you’re looking for wildly experimental beats, a la Steve Spacek, look elsewhere. But she succeeds at crafting smart soul music that’s both sensuous and refined. From the bleak “Enchantment” to the giddy “Call Me When You Get This,” there’s enough goodness here to satisfy the most sophisticated R&B connoisseur—at least until the next Sade album.