HIL ST. SOULSOULIDIFIED (2006)
4 Stars
Hil St. Soul is a British group that appears to be virtually unknown in America or at least they have gotten little, if any, exposure in America. The name, Hil St. Soul, is a play on the name of the '80s TV drama Hill Street Blues and the group consists of Zambian-born vocalist Hilary Mwelwa and her musical partner Victor Redwood Sawyer. Soulidified is their third collaboration.
It is an astonishing effort that grabbed on to me and held my attention with its smooth, compelling vocals, great lyrics and masterful production. The vocal range of Hilary coupled with Victor's wonderful production is virtually unrivaled. This is soul music as it is meant to be: funky, fun, sexy and straight from the heart.
The album contains mostly ballads and mid-tempo tracks which have a sexy feel to them. And while the lead singer, Hilary Mwelwa doesn���t often stray from her range, her vocals are strong and commanding and her tones classically smooth, like a nice aged Cabernet. Even her lyrics are dense and complex, with plenty of imagery.
This CD is a blend of traditional R&B, jazz, blues and hip-hop done with a modern flavor. Though the music switches vibes from track to track, Hil St. Soul moves through the transitions with ease and style Soulidified starts out strong with "Hey Boy" where she asks "Baby take your time...I want to feel the wave of your emotion" and "Sweet On You," two upbeat numbers. These songs confidently serve us this group's warm, inviting sound. On the funky "2 Good to Be True", Mwelwa���s voice soars above strong drums and a groovy bass as she recalls a long-term relationship that has gone awry.
The album contains mostly ballads and mid-tempo tracks which have a sexy feel to them. And while the lead singer, Hilary Mwelwa doesn���t often stray from her range, her vocals are strong and commanding and her tones classically smooth, like a nice aged Cabernet. Even her lyrics are dense and complex, with plenty of imagery.
This CD is a blend of traditional R&B, jazz, blues and hip-hop done with a modern flavor. Though the music switches vibes from track to track, Hil St. Soul moves through the transitions with ease and style Soulidified starts out strong with "Hey Boy" where she asks "Baby take your time...I want to feel the wave of your emotion" and "Sweet On You," two upbeat numbers. These songs confidently serve us this group's warm, inviting sound. On the funky "2 Good to Be True", Mwelwa���s voice soars above strong drums and a groovy bass as she recalls a long-term relationship that has gone awry.
From the soft, gentle jazz of "Goodbye" to the hip-hop grooves of "Smokie Joint", their sound remains true. King Reign���s appearance on ���Smoky Joint��� adds the smoke to this real groove tune and Dwele���s appearance on ���Baby Come Over��� is a true blending of voices in this sultry ballad. The group even closes out the album strong with "One Of A Kind" and "Time For Love"; two seductive ballads that are perfect for listening to with that someone special.
Listen to this CD and you will agree that Hil St. Soul succeeds where many soul acts falter when trying to diversify their sound. They easily transition through these changes. Soulidified is a complete album through and through. It���s songs fill the heart with positive vibes and relaxed beats.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/hilstsoul
They have a new CD out, watch for that review in the coming weeks.
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