It’s like finding a lost Marvin Gaye tape in your uncle’s attic that sounds better than anything on the radio.
A warm, nostalgic embrace that balances romantic yearning with a comforting, timeless elegance.
Jalen Ngonda's debut full-length, 'Come Around and Love Me', released on Daptone Records, serves as a masterclass in soul revivalism. While Ngonda is originally from Maryland and based in the UK, the album was recorded at Daptone’s Hive Mind Studios in Brooklyn, utilizing the label's signature analog-only philosophy. The record is heavily influenced by the early 1970s output of Motown and Hi Records, specifically the sophisticated soul of artists like Al Green and The Temptations. Critically, the album was lauded for its technical precision and Ngonda's vocal range, which avoids the 'retro-kitsch' trap by focusing on high-quality songwriting and authentic emotional delivery. The production by Mike Buckley and Vincent John emphasizes a 'live-in-the-room' feel, with minimal overdubs and a focus on the interplay between the rhythm section and Ngonda’s soaring falsetto. It stands as a significant entry in the 2020s soul landscape, solidifying Ngonda as a premier voice in the genre.
Put this on for
Rain streaking the window while the turntable needle dropsSlow-dancing in a kitchen lit only by the stove lightSunday morning coffee with no plans to leave the houseDriving home as the streetlights flicker on for the nightWriting a letter by hand to someone you haven't seen in yearsThat heavy-lidded peace when the party is finally overGolden hour shadows stretching across a hardwood floor
Moments worth waiting for
The effortless leap into a piercing but silk-smooth falsetto on the title track's chorus
The way the bassline on 'If You Don't Want My Love' drives the entire track with a gritty, Motown-esque urgency
The sparse, haunting organ swell that opens 'Lost', creating an immediate sense of 1970s cinematic melancholy
Sounds like
2023s production with a 1970s soul
Sits beside
Tell Me Does It Feel Good - Durand Jones & The Indications, Victim of Love - Charles Bradley, Coming Home - Leon Bridges, Black Pumas - Black Pumas
