The UK has been a hotbed of soul music singers for
years, giving launch to artists like Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Adele, and most
recently, Sam Smith, who has taken the recording world by storm. Now, South
London born and raised Jay Soul is set to toss his hat into the ring, hoping that
his signature style of eclectic blues, R&B, and pop will keep the trend
going.
The eldest of three siblings, Soul was raised in a
single-parent home that encouraged him to pursue his talents. Among those
talents was a genuine proclivity for working with technology, which the artist
was able to parlay into a successful career as an IT professional. Yet, another
muse also called to him, that of music. Taking time to work on his vocal skills
as part of a gospel choir and later being afforded the opportunity to perform
background vocals for several UK urban acts. Now, he’s stepping out of the
shadows and is taking the mic into his own hands, set to deliver his own brand
of Soul.
Part of that brand involves providing a dichotomy of
sound, offering up some bright, sunny tones alongside darker, moodier vibes
that evoke elements of the highs and lows of life, that same tone bleeding into
the lyrical content as well.
“People will be surprised when they hear the album
because I want to cover a broad range of subjects,” Soul shares. “It won’t just
be a bland R& B album about love and relationships. It will also be about
what I’ve witnessed around me, although I’m no activist. I believe in
capitalism but also in presenting people with opportunities. I have been
presented with opportunities but I have also looked for them. Everyone in this
country is lucky in that sense."
Soul gets things off to a strong start with the title
track, framing his warm, smooth vocals against a sparse backdrop that really
lets him shine. The subtle instrumentation really allows for the nuances of the
artist's voice to stand out and proves to be one of the record's strongest
tracks. "Any Day" takes another approach, offering up a beat-laden
dance jam that lets Soul have a little fun, layering vocals and getting the
party going. That's an angle that he echoes on the appropriately titled
"Dance" as well, evoking thoughts of classic 90s R&B and pop
jams.
"First Love" drops some more old school
vibes, with rich and resonant keys highlighting Soul's tight baritone while
"Get a Job" tackles some unexpected territory with a kicking groove
that provides some sonic texture. But Soul is at his best when things are
stripped down and "Afraid Reprised (Live)" and "Thank You"
find the artist at his best, drawing both emotion and integrity into his sound.
While there are a lot of strong tracks, there are a
few stumbles, namely when Soul tries to do too much as he does on
"Up," the beat almost losing the richness of his voice and the
layering of the vocals just feeling overwrought. Those same layering issues
color "Inspiration" as well, the arrangement subdued but the layered
vocal and a less than successful falsetto letting the artist down this time
out.
But thankfully, those hiccups are the exception to
the rule here and the whole of Jay Soul's Stay
With Me showcases a bright artist on the rise. Soul evokes thoughts of an
old soul while infusing plenty of his own unique charm into these songs, making
this a promising debut that will have listeners hoping to hear more.
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