Jhené Aiko Sailing Soul(s) (2021) (deluxe Edition)

With 2020’s Sunset in the Blue singer Melody Gardot sinks into a dusky and languorously produced album that builds upon her love of jazz standards, Brazilian music, and intimate balladry. The record finds Gardot surrounded by a production dream team, including longtime associate Larry Klein, who helmed 2009’s My One and Only Thrill and 2015’s Currency of Man, as well as equally acclaimed studio pros, arranger Vince Mendoza and engineer Al Schmitt. Together, they have crafted a showcase for Gardot’s delicately nuanced vocal style. The album is an interesting dichotomy, at once intimate as if Gardot is singing to you in a small club, yet also widescreen, framing her hushed vocals in sweeping orchestrations that reinforce the romantic drama at play in the songs.

Since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1995, Gov't Mule have remained close to their trademark bluesy hard rock roots. While they cover classic blues tunes regularly, they apply that musical signature. Heavy Load Blues marks the first time the quartet have recorded an album devoted strictly to blues. They cut it in one small room in a New England studio standing very close to one another – without headphones – using small vintage amplifiers. The band played stripped-down blues live from the studio floor; the few overdubs were added later. The 13-song standard version of the set offers six excellent Warren Haynes originals alongside covers by masters such as Ann Peebles, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and others. Haynes co-produced the set with John Paterno.

Over the past 15 years, German electro act Solar Fake has been on the scene, releasing five albums and a handful of EPs full of their brand of aggressive yet melodic music. Enjoy Dystopia comes three years since the last studio album, offering a solid follow-up to 2018’s You Win. Who Cares? with a bit more aggression added into the industrial/electro-pop mix.

The man is a genius, Electronic and Orchestra playing together as one and it works like a dream. Listen to "Beyond The Horizon", very catchy and will have you humming the tune for weeks…

Koven produces a strong 14 track sophomore album with Butterfly Effect. This thing is beautiful front to back. Katie's vocals are top-notch throughout…