The Plug’n Play: July (‘21)
July 31, 2021
You can listen to the full playlist on Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal
Below are some of our favorite songs from the month, and a bit about why we love them. The first 19 songs were selected by Kevin and the last 15 songs were selected by me, Stanley. We hope you find a song you like, and check out the entire album!
Stanley: Leon Bridges — Details
Leon Bridges is building an impressively varied discography. In 2015, when Bridges released his debut album, Coming Home, he drew immediate comparisons to Sam Cooke, and was lauded for his throwback aesthetic, ultimately garnering him a GRAMMY nomination for Best R&B Album. (I was a fan of Bridges, but from afar, and not particularly interested in the aesthetic he put forward — it often felt like parody). But in the years since 2015, Bridges has compiled a discography this is as deep sonically deep as it is wide, extending from multiple branches of the Black music tree. 2018 brought us Good Thing, which noticeably had more elements of a contemporary Rhythm and Blues, Hip-Hop, and Pop compared to his earlier work . In 2020, Bridges released Texas Sun — a collaboration EP with the boundless and ever-shapeshifting band, Khruangbin — an ode to their Texas roots: part Gospel, part Folk, part R&B, part Blues. Bridges new album sees the artist take yet another sonic leap. For his new album, Gold-Diggers Sound, Bridges enlisted all-star musicians, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, Keyon Harrold, and twin sisters Paris and Amber Strother (together known as KING).
Stanley: Sidibe — Ready Enough (Feat. Devin Morrison and Herb Alpert)
Sidibe’s new single, Ready Enough, feels familiar. The drum programming and synthesizers feel like something we’ve heard before. Maybe in the late-80s or early-90s. Sidibe’s voice, gently gliding over the mix, immediately reminded me of Janet Jackson’s mezzo-soprano range. And then there’s Herb Alpert, legendary Trumpeter, who, if you saw his name in the credits and didn’t know what year this song came out, you may have been convinced that this song was released in 1989. Yet, there is a newness to Sidibe’s sound. In part, we have Devin Morrison — who helped produce and write Ready Enough — to thank for crafting a sonic landscape that feels both familiar and fresh. There’s something special about capturing the sound of an era, and transporting it across time. Sidibe did just that.
Stanley: Emmavie — Tune (Featuring DT Soul and Skripture)
Emmavie, a London-based producer, vocalist, and beatmaker, has been busy. In the last two years, she’s released two full length albums, a slew of singles, and most recently her EP, What’s A Diamond To A Baby. On Tune, the lead single from her new EP, Emmavie mixes trap snares with a busy (and enjoyably funky) bass guitar, a Rhodes with stacked harmonies. Oh, and there’s bit of Khia’s My Neck, My Back (Lick It) referenced in the song, too. It’s the type of thing we’ve become accustomed to with Emmavie’s music. Her new EP is exciting and features appearances from Phonte, CARTOONS, and others.
