THE BEST SOUL ALBUMS 2021 (SO FAR)

The Wicked Sound favorite / best Soul, Neo-Soul and R'n'B albums of 2021 (so far):

Have a look at end of the year The Wicked Sound favorite Soul albums of 2021.

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Jon Batiste We Are [Decca]

01. Jon Batiste We Are [Decca]

WE ARE is a masterfully constructed and visionary album that represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste and a new direction for music culture as a whole. Writing, traveling, painting - all while inviting some of the most esteemed creative minds to assist in birthing the album - he reached the finish line smack in the middle of the first wave of the worldwide pandemic and volatile social unrest. At the end, a masterpiece of Black Pop Music characterized by the consciousness of Marvin Gaye, the grounded optimism of Stevie Wonder, the iconoclasm of Thelonious Monk and the swagger of Mannie Fresh was born. I'm publicly known for some things already, says Batiste. But there's so much more to know about me. It’s always been there. Now is the time to show the world my full artistry.

WE ARE is a message of love for humanity, of humble reverence for our past, and of a hopeful future, in which we are the ones who can save us. Jon said The art reveals it’s motive to you. You just have to wait for the Spirit to tell you what it wants.

From our Blog: VIDEO OF THE DAY: JON BATISTE – FREEDOM

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Aaron Frazer Introducing... [Colemine Records]

02. Aaron Frazer Introducing... [Colemine Records]

Aaron Frazer is the singer, drummer and songwriter with Durand Jones and the Indications. Soft-spoken with the look of a slightly disaffected 1950s matinee idol, Aaron Frazer possesses a unique voice that’s both contemporary and timeless. On Introducing... - his debut solo album produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, co-released on Easy Eye Sound and Dead Oceans - Aaron melds mid-‘60s soul with Auerbach’s particular sensibilities (Over You), songs with a message in the key of Gil Scott-Heron (Bad News), and uplifting tales of love told through a blend of disco, gospel, and doo-wop (Have Mercy).

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Celeste Not Your Muse [Universal]

03. Celeste Not Your Muse [Universal]

The debut album from the alluring soulful Celeste. The 25-year-old British-Jamaican, who grew up in Brighton, started singing around 10 years ago when she was inspired by hearing Elton John's Your Song. She showcases a melting pot of influences ranging from soulful greats Aretha Franklin, Minnie Riperton etc to the cosmic sounds of jazz experimentalists Kamasi Washington, Thelonious Monk, Sun-Ra and Alice Coltrane, via the raw urgency of Amy Winehouse’s early releases. The soul-drenched songs match her raw, expressive vocal tone that cascade the listening ears like hot butter over a fresh slice.

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Hiatus Kayote Mood Valiant [Brainfeeder]

04. Hiatus Kayote Mood Valiant [Brainfeeder]

Mood Valiant is the new album from the twice Grammy nominated, Melbourne-based group Hiatus Kaiyote released via Brainfeeder Records / Ninja Tune. The band comprised of Naomi “Nai Palm” Saalfield (guitar, vocals), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keys), and Perrin Moss (drums), the new album is the follow up to their 2015 album Choose Your Weapon, which Rolling Stone described as "a stunning step up". The new project comes after being sampled on songs by The Carters (Beyonce & Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance The Rapper, and Drake—with whom Nai Palm collaborated on his Scorpion album. The new album has been in the making for six years, but that interval reflects more hustle than hiatus. The result is an album that relaxes into a groove: sunlit, sublime, masterful. Behind everything is Hiatus’ familiar sense of musical adventure, their knack for making the complex sound simple.

From our Blog: SONG OF THE DAY: HIATUS KAIYOTE – GET SUN (FEAT ARTHUR VEROCAI)

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Oliver St Louis Matters Of The Heartless [First Word]

05. Oliver St Louis Matters Of The Heartless [First Word]

Oliver St Louis Matters Of The Heartless is essentially a classically structured selection of soul-funk with a rock edge, and a touch of jazz. Each track is laced with Olivier's sweet harmonies and fuzzed-out guitar licks throughout and mixed down with a little 2020 boom-bap thump. A prime example of Olivier's unique talents and a set of quality contemporary alt-soul. Olivier embraced his newfound love for blues, rock and funk, a series of late-night sessions saw him engulfed in new soundscapes and reverting back to his birth name, Olivier St.Louis. This saw him release two critically-acclaimed EPs with Berlin-based label, Jakarta, and the release of The Serious EP with Bibio on Warp Records.

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Dominique Fils-Aimé [En Soul Records]

06. Dominique Fils-Aimé Three Little Words [En Soul Records]

Three Little Words concludes Dominique Fils-Aimé's album trilogy exploring the roots of African-American musical culture. Her 2018 acclaimed debut full-length blues-tinged Nameless saw Fils-Aimé boldly confront historical silences and sorrows while her sophomore JUNO award winning album, Stay Tuned! delved into the civil rights movement of the 60s through jazz. Now with Three Little Words Dominique embraces the emotional lushness of soul music of yesterday and tomorrow.This final album is Fils-Aimé's adaptation of soul music in the truest sense of the term: music that comes from the depths of her soul and is meant to challenge and enrich the souls of her listeners. Perhaps her most musically diverse and eclectic album to date, Fils-Aimé's distinct brand of incisively-delivered vocals resonates throughout Three Little Words.

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Greentea Peng Man Made [AMF Records]

07. Greentea Peng Man Made [AMF Records]

Greentea Peng Man Made was executive-produced by long-time collaborator Earbuds, Greentea Peng worked with an incredible roll-call of producers; the likes of Swindle, long-standing collaborators Samo and Kiko, and Mala (part of the legendary dubstep production duo Digital Mystikz and the founder of the iconic DMZ dubstep label). The album was then mixed by the legendary Commissioner Gordon. The record seamlessly weaves genres from Hip-Hop to Jazz, Neo-soul, Trip Hop, Ragga, Rock, Dub and Drum & Bass, all anchored by signature sage vocals. A true opus, a fluid and transportive listening experience, channelling deepest inner-thoughts and exploring different states of being, segued to be enjoyed in full. It encourages repeated revisits to fully explore the magic at work.

From our Blog: SONG OF THE DAY: GREENTEA PENG – NAH IT AIN’T THE SAME

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Jorja Smith Be Right Back [FAMM]

08. Jorja Smith Be Right Back [FAMM]

Jorja Smith returns with a new 8-track project Be Right Back and is the first body of work from Jorja since her 2019 critically-acclaimed, Mercury Prize-nominated debut album Lost and Found, for which she won her second BRIT Award for ‘Best Female’ and earned herself a nomination for ‘New Artist’ at the Grammy's. The project finds Jorja delivering some of the most emotive and imaginative songs of her career. She described Be Right Back as a "waiting room" in preparation for her sophomore album, the album features writing and production from long time collaborators Joel Compass and Ed Thomas, amongst others, as well as guest vocals from British-Nigerian rapper Shaybo. Written and recorded over a two-year period, Be Right Back sonically adopts experimental song structures and lyrically revolves around the complexity of ideal womanhood, relationships and self-awareness.

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul Arlo Parks Collapsed in Sunbeams [Transgressive Records]

09. Arlo Parks Collapsed in Sunbeams [Transgressive Records]

Collapsed in Sunbeams is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter and poet Arlo Parks, released via Transgressive Records. The album was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. It earned her nominations for Album of the Year, Best New Artist and Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2021 Brit Awards.The album is a series of vignettes and intimate portraits surrounding her adolescence and the people that shaped it. It is rooted in storytelling and nostalgia. The album is an emotional rollercoaster of heartbreak, beautiful poetry, betrayal and hope, that has been inspired by Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, Jim Morrison and Fela Kuti.

From our Blog: ARLO PARKS SHARES HER BEAUTIFUL NEW SINGLE “BLACK DOG”

www.thewickedsound.com Album Picks Soul SAULT Nine [Forever Living Originals]

10. SAULT Nine [Forever Living Originals]

The mysterious collective Sault released two incredible albums last year, including our album of the year Untitled (Black Is) and Untitled (Rise). Now they return with Nine another gem of sweet soul music and vibes that effortlessly fits with the times. It is the third album in their series of number-themed albums, following from 5 and 7 both from 2019.It features tracks with Michael Ofo and Little Simz. Nine will be available to stream and purchase only for 99 days, until Saturday October 2. Band's Instagram statement is a perfect commentary to the album: Some of us are from the heart of London's council estates where proud parents sought safer environments to raise their families. Community is the only real genuine support & the majority of us get trapped in a systemic loop where a lot of resources & options are limited. Adults who fail to heal from childhood traumas turn to alcohol & drugs as medicine. Young girls & boys looking for leadership can get caught up in gang life. It's very easy to judge. What would you do if this were you?