Description
2020, 2×12″ LP, Rainbow Blonde.
The satin-voiced songwriter’s latest is No Beginning No End 2 – a sequel to his 2013 album that resurrects the bold eclecticism we first fell in love with, while taking us on a journey through both celebration and introspection. This is his first set of new music on his own label/collective, Rainbow Blonde Records. The album is chock-full of collaborators including; Laura Mvula, Aloe Blacc, Ledisi, Erik Truffaz, and Hindi Zahra – appearing in unexpected sonic contexts.
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Astonishingly, eight years have passed since NYC soul man Jose James released the brilliant “No Beginning No End” album on Blue Note. He’s released plenty of other impressive sets since, though few quite as effervescent and sonically perfect. This belated sequel is therefore hotly anticipated. Happily we can report that it’s superb, with James offering up a suite of super-strong soul songs that variously join the dots between neo-soul, summery sing-alongs (see the catchy “You Know What It Do”), jazz-funk, flash-fired hip-hop-soul, slow jams and the kind of slick but bustling soul-jazz gems that he’s always done so well. It’s still only March, but we have no doubt this will be one of the soul albums of the year. – Juno
