SOTBMusic: For The Love of Spotify – @TrueGodImmortal’s Top Eight

By @TrueGodImmortal

I don’t have a lot of spare free time, but I always take the time to listen to music. Whether it’s my favorite artists, some new artist, or music that piqued my interest, I always have my headphones in (usually just one earbud) listening intently to rhythms, lyrics, and beats. For me, having Spotify at my disposal expands my listening horizons and allows me to discover artists that I wouldn’t find in my normal listening. Today, I wanted to share those artists with you. Some of you might know these artists, then some of them you might not. Regardless, these artists deserve your attention. Let’s get into it.

Jordan Rakei

The New Zealand-born singer who doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page (upon a quick Google search, at least) embodies the term “blue eyed contemporary soul.” He’s based out of London now, and has presented him as one of the leaders of the new underground soul movement alongside some of his peers since debuting in 2013. With three projects under his belt, he has built up a slight legacy for himself, and it will continue growing as his music gains more popularity. His vocals and the production together are a perfect marriage.

Songs To Check: Alright, Theta State, Midnight Mischief

Hiatus Kaiyote

Photo Credit: Vllunderlondon

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It seems as if the soul wave has been taken overseas after all of these years. The Australian band has garnered the attention of legend Q-Tip, and they have a near classic album under their belt since debuting in 2011. The 2015 release Choose Your Weapon is beyond superb, as the vocals from lead singer Naomi “Nai Palm” Saalfield carries every song easily. The music and the instrumentation is beautiful also, as the accompanying players in the band all work together for a rich and plush sound. This group has multiple projects including albums and EPs, but if you’re looking for somewhere to start, look no further than Choose Your Weapon. You will be more than happy that you did.

Songs To Check: Fingerprints, Building A Ladder, Borderline With My Atoms

Diggs Duke

Photo Credit: Artist’s Bandcamp

I don’t have as much experience with his music, but after hearing some of his work, I feel like he’s a solid artist with a great sound. From DC by the way of Gary, Indiana (don’t they tend to breed musical greatness), Diggs is a true artist. He can produce, play instruments, can write songs, and layer his vocals perfectly. His voice is a rugged soulful style and allows him to coast over the soothing production vocally. Give him a listen and you won’t be disappointed.

Songs To Check: The Epic Lie, Cause I Love You, The Pinnacle – Of Class And Taste

Allen Stone

Of all the artists on this list, this is my personal favorite. Allen is a throwback but also a new age artist, as he is inspired by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, but with his own twist. He doesn’t sound much like them, but you can hear the influence slightly in his music. He does a lot of acoustic versions of songs via YouTube and in his live shows, but what carries him is the broken soul in his music. His songs come with vision, his production bristles with life, and Allen is one of my favorite artists in recent years. Another example of “blue eyed soul” that pays homage and does the music justice.

Songs To Check: Unaware, American Privilege, Bed I Made

Sinead Harnett

Photo Credit: Artist’s Twitter

A beautiful singer from…you guessed it, “foreign land,” this London native has a lovely voice and a great sound that makes her stand out when you hear her sing. I hadn’t listened to much of her prior to writing this article, but as I went back to listen, this songbird captured my attention. My favorite release of hers has to be her self-titled EP from 2016, as it is her most polished so far. She has had a number of EPs since 2013 however, and all of them are pretty enjoyable.

Songs To Check: Say What You Mean, Rather Be With You, She Ain’t Me

Ben L’Oncle Soul

Another foreign artist from the beautiful land of France, Ben is one of those artists who sneaks up on you. I had saw his name suggested for listening and decided to check his music out. I was pleasantly surprised by the sounds and found myself going back to listen to more songs after the initial track that caught my attention, which was “All The Way.” Upon listening to more of his music, I found that Ben is a mix of a throwback combined with new age sound, something that could be said about most of the artists here.

Songs To Check: All The Way, Walk The Line, You Got My Back

Electric Wire Hustle

Photo Credit: OkayPlayer.com

This duo caught me off guard completely. Categorized as electronica/dance music, this duo is really electronic soul and they’ve been around for quite some time. Their most recent album, The 11th Sky, is the best project they have released so far. It’s the perfect blend between electric soul, funk dance music, and it works beautifully. Go back and check their catalog and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Songs To Check: They Don’t Want, Troublemakers, Go Slow

Omar

Photo Credit: MTV.com

My personal introduction to Omar came on the much-maligned Common album Electric Circus in 2004, as he provided the magnetic hook for the dope song “The Hustle.” But, he’s been around for decades. He has a number of projects himself that featured an electric soul vibe and his vocals are electric in themselves. Another British talent, Omar has been a veteran in this game, with over 25 years of relevance and creativity to boot. You should already know him, but if you’re still unfamiliar, check him out on Spotify (or Apple Music).

Songs To Check: The Man, Feeds My Mind, Vicky’s Tune

These eight artists all bring with them a solid sense of musicality and stand out in the best way possible. If you’re currently for looking for some music to listen to that’s not hip hop, trap, or the usual R&B, give these artists a chance.