It’s been 16 years since Shola Ama released ‘You Might Need Somebody’ from her debut album Much Love. A lot has happened since then and a lot has changed, a comeback after all this time (Ama did release a couple albums after her debut but none ignited much commercial success – although her second album did give us ‘Imagine’ or more importantly it’s garage remix) would always be risky and would no doubt raise a few sceptical eyebrows (mine included). But to Ama’s credit she’s avoided the usual cheap faux-garage, dance-floor-filler routine and hit back with a rather voluminous slow-jam. ‘Boyfriend’ is a sensual number that sees the singer battling temptations which she subsequently fights off by reminding herself “Sho don’t f*ck this up, I got a boyfriend”…

‘Boyfriend’ won’t change your life but it is reassuring to know that unlike many of her former contemporaries Shola Ama seems to have an ear to the ground and is conscious enough to create new tracks that sound relevant and feel contextually right. Plus, I’ve been in love with this lady since year 7 times, so just have a listen…

Justin Timberlake has scored his third UK #1 album with The 20/20 Experience after selling over 109,000 copies in it’s first week – a feat that subsequently knocked pop icon David Bowie off the top spot. The singers third album, his first in over 6 years, had already spawned a number 1 selling single in the UK with ‘Mirrors’ and looks set to sell even more copies on these shores in the coming weeks.

Furthermore JT is set to debut with massive first week numbers in America too. While initial reports suggested the album could sell between 500-700,000 copies, reports today suggest they could exceed those and possibly sell between 900-950,000, maybe even a million. This would easily make The 20/20 Experience one of this years biggest releases and one of the fastest selling of the decade. It’ll also mark Justin’s biggest first week solo sales to date.

… And lets not forget the biggest first week sales of all time came from Timberlake’s former band who sold over 2 million copies of their No Strings Attached album in it’s debut week.

I could write a dissertation on how influential Prince has been to all the musicians featured in this video, but that would be digressive and long. Instead I’m going to calmly bug the f*ck out that D’Angelo is on camera talking about Prince (albeit rather briefly). The piece (courtesy of Okayplayer) not only features God D, but also master of Prince-ology Questlove, Bilal (Purple incarnate) and the legendary Elvis Costello to name but a few, all speak on Prince’s impact on them and on music period. Interviews were conducted backstage at the Music of Prince Tribute in New York.

… It certainly feels like something very big is coming from the Purple Yoda this year, don’t know what it is but it’s coming.

I can find very few faults on Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience, but unfortauntely ‘Mirrors’ (for me at least) stands out like a sore thumb. It’s the weakest song on the album with a sloppy rehashed Timbaland beat at the heart of it. It’s the only song on the LP that feels completely uninspired and as Wiley so eloquently put it “sounds like he went round Timbaland’s for half hour” to record it. Their attempt at making a lazy anthemic power-ballad worked perfectly of course (just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean I don’t see the genius in it) with it shooting straight into the #1 spot in the UK and fast becoming another one of JT’s most commercial songs. On the upside the backend of the song is smashing – shame it’s not like that the entire way through. Anyway – here’s the video…

5 years ago I don’t think anyone could have predicted so many electronic producers openly embracing an R&B crooner like Jeremih – exciting collaborations like this are a testament to how far it’s all come (specifically referring to R&B here). Just a few years ago R&B was generally considered a dirty word, untouchable by near enough everyone – even at times long-time fans; But having gone through a semi-URL-rebirth over the past few years it’s back on the tips of everyones tongue and in a good way. #Cyclelife.

Shlohmo mentioned in an interview we did with him in Seattle late last year that his favourite song of 2012 was Jeremih’s ‘F*ck U All the Time’ (which you’ll remember he remixed) and that he wanted to work with him properly in the studio – well here’s the fruits of that wish. ‘Bo Peep’ (Do U Right)’ was recorded as part of Yours Truly & Adidas’ ‘Songs from Scratch’ series, the drowsy slow jam sees Shlohmo delve deep into his multilayered influences (is that a ‘Tainted Love’ sample?) and has Jeremih singing a typically come-hither set of verses.

A couple nights back we tweeted a link to Okayplayer’s forum or rather specifically to a post published by Questlove which suggested that Justin Timberlake would release part 2 of his new album The 20/20 Experience sometime in November. Despite The Roots’ drummer being slightly disgruntled by his ‘news’ being picked up across near-enough every platform in blogland – it was up until last night an unconfirmed story. However according to various sources (including this guy) JT confirmed the release of part 2 during a gig in Los Angeles.

According to Questlove’s original post the second part of The 20/20 Experience will feature “throwback Timb” productions, saying the songs he had been played by Timbaland “were straight up Missy/Magoo Timb and [that] Justin said he wanted Timbaland to “get back in his real zone” even if it meant alienating the tweens born after ’86 who never ever heard of Sly Slick and Wicked”. 

We’d had our suspicious that there could be another 10 tracks on the horizon given the album title (“20/20 Experience”) so this all makes perfect and wonderful sense. JT’s album is officially released worldwide this week, it will no doubt (and hopefully) shift a shit load of copies – and deservedly so. Despite a shocking amount of relatively confused reviews the LP stands alone as yet another great Timberlake record. It’s not an easy pop record to get to grips with that much is true – but how can you miss the beauty in that? A pop record that isn’t easy to digest? All a part of that Timberlake/Timbaland genius.

MNEK is back with another killer refix, this time he takes on Janet Jackson’s classic ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’ taken off her ’93 Janet album. Having already made his mark covering Kelis’ ‘Get Along With You’, Rosie Gaines ‘Closer Than Close’ and most recently Disclosure’s ‘White Noise’, he’s quickly secured a reputation as a bit of a producer/arranger prodigy; Not to mention a true-powerhouse vocalist – very few young singers can rival what this young man does as a singer; And so as we’ve come to expect this latest refix ticks all the right boxes. Take a listen to his interpretation of one of Janet’s most beloved jams…

Abel Tesfaye, commonly known as The Weeknd took to his twitter this evening to reveal Kiss Land as the title for his upcoming debut album, he also attached what appears to be the album artwork. No release date has been announced yet but having achieved genuine success offline last year with the re-release of his mixtape trilogy, some could say he has quite a bit to prove this time round. Will R&B’s newest son be able to deliver an engaging body of original work without rehashing what he’s already done, but still appease his post-nineties audience? Time will tell.

“Bow down bitches”, Bey’s back.

Mrs. Carter returns with an uncompromising new song titled ‘Bow Down / I Been On’. Produced by Hit Boy (‘Bow Down’) & Timbaland, Polow Da Don and Planet V (‘I Been On’) she boldly reinstates much of the freedom accredited to her last album 4 by resisting to release a typical middle-of-the-road pop ballad / radio friendly novelty record and instead she goes in hard on what is arguably her most R&B sounding track in years. Trap-R&B, chopped & screwed – Bey goes gully and straight freaks the tail end of ‘I Been On’ (a beat many UK heads will know from her O2 ad), the mainstream will not be happy – well done Bey, well done. That said this doesn’t sound like ‘first single’ material, I won’t be surprised if something more official follows suit.

‘Bow Down / I Been On’ is far from Beyonce’s greatest record but the statement it makes is important and given her position (worlds biggest pop star), is impressive too, and combined with JT’s current effort solidifies the fact that we’re in the middle of a renaissance. Oh, and welcome back Timbaland – we missed you.

JODY are an emerging R&B outfit out of Chicago consisting of members Khallee Standberry-Lois, James King (of The GTW), David Robertson and Cole Johnson. The group work closely with Jeremiah Chrome and Brandon Boom aka The-Drum who produced their single ‘Echos’ and who just released a remix of Shy Girls’ ‘Under Attack’.

Both ‘Floodin’ and ‘Echos’ stand as fascinating specimens of R&B paraphernalia, both charismatically coalesce contemporary rhythm and blues with the haze-soaked clouds hovering over certain sectors of hip hop. Both tracks are essentially future slow-jams, except it’s not the future. Both are laced in thick (dirty) basslines, crisp & scattered drums and churning hallucinogenic accents. That g-funk organ in ‘Floodin’ kills me.

Photo by the homie Theodore Darst – check his latest graphic work on H∆SHTAG$.