Now I know this has been around for a couple of years now, but here’s the thing... I've spoken to people about this album. People in the know, ordinary music lovers and industry heads. I've read reviews and blogs on paper and online, and the one overriding feeling that has stuck is injustice. For some reason there is a wide and general consensus of indifference with this album. 'Lacking in some areas', 'more like a compilation', ‘OK but weak in areas and some inclusions are unwarranted' etc etc.....It's just not right, and I’ll explain why. Let me start from the start...

California producers Bobby Ross and IZ Avila combine on this debut release "The Mood - Soundsational", and as much as I don't want to agree with a lot of the "indifferent" comments out there; it is much like a compilation album with every track having an obvious different feel from the one preceding it. But I'm embracing this, it's a good thing. At what point did the music world agree that a good album had to sound the same all the way through?

So why does this album do it for me so much? Well, it does what it says on the tin... "What's that V? It's "Soundsational" is it?  Well, yeah it is.  Soundsational may mean nothing to you but there is a feeling that the set is named perfectly and easily achieves its goal of creating "The Mood".

So not a mish-mash - rather a fusion of styles, instruments, sounds and voices gelling the worlds of RnB, Soul, Rap and Jazz into this smorgasbord of musical love.

A track that has been lambasted in other reviews is the “Rap” track “Something to feel”.  It features the rhyme stylings of Dirty Birty who I read sounds more like a “lesser member of D12” – harsh.  The track works very well and it’s very refreshing to see a whole set without a superstar spitting 8 bars to boost sales.  Yes of course they could’ve picked form a plethora of rappers out there and I would love nothing more than to hear these talented producers paired up with the poets and MC’s that already grace my shelves but that’s not what this album is about.  Like “Smile” and the other Rap influenced tracks on this album, it has been carefully crafted to leave both Soul fans and Hip-Hop heads satisfied.   

“Give the horns some” (with its infectious funk, fantastic trumpets and perfect vocoding), “Tilt ya cups” and “It’s Over Now” (with Ahmad Jones – of 4th Avenue Jones fame) highlight the variation I mentioned above, but these tracks compliment each other and add to the flow of this album. 

Bobby Ross Avila lays his smooth vocals over “I Want You” taking a little nibble from Marvin’s classic of the same name.  Finger clicks replace snares for this ‘get-you-in-the-mood’ laid back jam – and it’s this easy going vibe that resonates right down the track list.  Instrumentals, skits and interludes are sprinkled throughout boasting excellent production and instrumentation with less emphasis on vocals as other tracks on the album and I adore the flow these snippets give to the journey.

The track I just cannot stop playing is “Let It Go”. Following the simplicity of “I Want You”, the soothing guitar strings get into that place in your ears you didn’t think existed. Finished with effortless vocals of Shelea Frazier – whose voice I hadn’t heard before, or since.  It will be another musical travesty if we don’t hear her on something else very soon.

The first track I ever heard from this set was “Smile” which features 16 bars of Little Brother’s finest to remarkable results.  This was the catalyst for me hunting down this set in the first place and placing it into slot 1 of my CD changer - believe me, there is no higher praise.  

So why the global indifference for The Mood: Soundsational?  I honestly can’t answer that.  This album is excellent all the way through.  It succeeds where many multi-artist albums have failed, flowing briskly from start to end, never smelling of a cut and paste project.   The Mood: Soundsational will unite Jazz, Soul and Rap lovers alike.

Words by VolatileSoul
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