Rating: NNNN
Diving right into deep stream-of-consciousness Rasta vibrations, Soul-R’s debut (self-produced, -mixed and -mastered, with songwriting help from Iauwata Amha Selassie) starts off strong with high-toned special effects twisting his vocal frequencies through heavy bass lines and the wailing electric guitars of Wages Of Life.
The spoken word artist ruminates calmly and clearly on the world today, using surprisingly diverse and rich instrumentation. Not every moment is resonant, but these 13 tracks are musically impressive, lyrically thought-provoking and mostly powerful, especially the slinky, scathing Sleepwalkers. Definitely a hidden homegrown gem.
Soul-R play the Lula Lounge Sunday (January 13).
