Review

R&B Street Anthems Vol. 1 - Various (Streetsounds)

I confess I am not always the biggest fan of compilations, especially when the word “anthem” is in the title. However this 2 disc compilation is bursting at the seams with independent R&B tracks. Are they actually anthems? Given that 5 tracks appeared in the top 10 R&B chart on the first week of release, which is a huge feat for independent artists, you could say indeed they are.

Disc 1: is the mellower of the two discs, with more mid tempo songs that would feature nicely in the car stereo. Speaking of which, there is one track by Lemar Kelsey entitled ‘Sex Me While I’m Driving’, which although is a sexy track is not advisable and is likely to cause injury! The vocal talents of LeNora Jaye, Sway Peñala, Mel Buckley and Chaz Shepherd are highlights on this disc which I felt stood out from the other artists.

Disc 2: is where you will find more of the hits for the club or party that will get people up and dancing. I really liked the energy of Izzy Isadore’s 'Way Too Drunk' and Nabildon and DJ Class’ 'WildnCrazy'; both good tracks to open the disc with. Other notable contributions include K-Smoove, L-Unique, and Erica P with tracks that differed slightly from the others. My favourite track was 'Headed To The Money' by R. Prophet featuring K. Smooth, which was sensational. Over a mid tempo beat, Prophet breaks down the rap game and how he has come through it without selling his soul. The song moved my mind and body without having to utter a string of profanities to get the point across.

Overall for people that enjoy modern R&B stars like Ciara, Jason Derulo, Keri Hilson, T-Pain etc, you will enjoy this compilation. There is hardly any live instrumentation, but plenty of electronic beats, auto-tune, and some salacious lyrics. There is definitely a market for these artists, and considering all the artists are independent, there are definitely a few on this album to watch out for in the near future.
Words Richard 'Ricardito' Ashie