Aurgasm

soul // soft r&b

The transatlantic success of British retro-soul singers is nothing new. From Amy Winehouse to Adele, British female artists have been strongly dominating the musical landscape for nearly a decade. LeaLea Jones delivers that kind of British retro-charm with an über-cool beat that brings to mind such Aurgasm favourites as Anjulie and Corinne Bailey Rae. She first captured my attention back in 2010 with her catchy single “Cake” and is currently working on her debut album. “Dry”, taken from the upcoming album, might be some of the finest urban grooves I’ve been listening to lately, offering some solid yet not overly produced beats and sweet soul vocals.

Sultry doze of neo-soul, jazz and R&B.

LeaLea Jones – Dry

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pop // folk

Armed with her distinct multilingual vocals and an array of instruments, including toy piano, accordion, violin and percussion, French-American chanteuse Maïa Vidal crafts sweet and quirky pop-folk songs. Maïa’s debut album God is My Bike (2011) falls somewhere in between the sweet melancholy of Alondra Bentley, charming cabaret pop of Lonely Drifter Karen and Jessica Fichot’s tender waltzes. “Follow Me”, featured here, gives a good taste of Maïa’s quirky, yet accessible and playful songwriting.

Whimsical folksy melodies.
Maïa Vidal – Follow me
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tropical pop // indie folk

The sunny calypso pop of Jonquil is somewhat of surprise considering the band hails from the decidedly untropical Oxford, England. Geographical location aside, the four-piece’s effervescent indie pop is vibrant, uplifting, and completely infectious. If the horns, keyboards, tropical percussion and uptempo guitars weren’t enough, Hugo Manuel’s falsetto soars through each song with an anthemic flair. “Fighting Smiles” and “Get Up” from their One Hundred Suns EP are a must-have for your summer playlist.

Tropical pop with an English twist.
Jonquil – “Fighting Smiles”
Jonquil – “Get Up”
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bliss-pop

Breezy with a beat, their infectious, sunny, pop songs are riding waves and moving your shore. Pop doesn’t enter my playlist often, but this I cannot resist. Milo Greene is a new quintet in Los Angeles, harmonizing bliss like Local Natives drenched in glee from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. (thx, Elana)

Takes me away.
Milo Greene – 1957
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soul pop // avant-jazz-pop

“You’ll hear smoky soul, flights of dazzling invention and intricate layers of deeply felt emotion. With a voice that belies her age; twenty year old Kimbra already enchants her audience, having been inspired by jazz greats such as Nina Simone, while also bringing a contemporary edge more akin to Bjork and Camille.” I haven’t been this excited about a song in a while. (thx, benschwarz)

Vocal precision, soul-felt thumps, & beauty
Kimbra – Settle Down
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