Soldier of Love

Photo courtesy of Ebony Magazine (April 2010)

It's been a decade since Sade released her last album, Lover's Rock. A timeless album. In February of this year, Sade released her most accessible, and arguably her best to date, titled Soldier of Love.

This album proves that Sade is a master of her game. Her voice hasn't changed, in fact it has aged like fine cognac developing complex flavors in an oak barrel. I love this album. It's arousing to the senses. Here are some tracks that I have to hit replay on.

Caught in the Storm

I just found out last week that the American born Lhasa de Sela passed away in January of this year. Heartbreaking. She lost her private battle with breast cancer. Just 37 years old with so much talent - now gone. She had just released an album, titled Lhasa, in the summer of 2009. Listening to it again after hearing the news, makes me think about a woman heading into the unknown with clarity.

From the moment I heard the song "La Frontera" in 2004, I was inspired. Her multicultural background and nomadic life inspired some of her most beautiful songs in French, Spanish, and English. Someday her 3 records will be re-discovered and she will revered as one of the greatest of this era.

Here are three videos and two songs. La Frontera and La Confession from The Living Road album, and Rising, Love Came here, and Fool's Gold from her final release - simply titled Lhasa.

Honey Bee

Zee Avi, a Malaysian-born singer, was discovered via YouTube and MySpace. Check out her light and candid performance on All Songs Considered from NPR.

Hot Blue

Photo courtesy of SomiMusic.com

Somi is an artist of the New African Jazz style of music. Beautiful voice with an irresistible groove. Born in Africa, and raised in Illinois (USA), Somi blends sweet jazzy melodies with African rhythm. Check out her new album, released October 2009, If The Rain Comes First.

Download songs below courtesy of


Somi
"Hot Blue" (mp3)
from "If The Rains Come First"
(ObliqSound)
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Napster
More On This Album



Somi
"Wallflower Blues" (mp3)
from "If The Rains Come First"
(ObliqSound)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Napster
More On This Album

The Tamil Tigress

M.I.A. is a Sri Lankan artist. Born in the U.K. Her hip-hop, dancehall, and ragga beats are infectious. Here latest album, Kala, is non-stop, in-your-face beats with political overtones. Excellent find that will influence emerging artists. Check out some samples below.

"Bucky Done Gun" (Remix) from Arular