The Predatory Wasp
Recorded at 5dB Studios in London, anaiis’s new albbum Devotion & The Black Divine explores uncertainty, acceptance, and the experience of new motherhood. The album reflects anaiis’s growing sense of grace and creative freedom, capturing human emotion in its raw, shifting form. I was a big fan of her last album – 2021’s This Is No Longer A Dream – and on the first few listens it seems as if Devotion will prove a worthy successor.
Jazz collective Kokoroko channel the greats of West Africa, building on the foundations laid by Fela Kuti, Tony Allen and Ebo Taylor and lacing together their influences into a soul shaking, horn-fueled sound. Taken from their new album Tuff Times Never Last, Da Du Dah is breezy, jazz-and-funk-laced soul ripe for BBQs and struttin’.
Breezy, sun-kissed soul from sexy crooner Durand Jones that owes a huge (and presumably knowing) debt to Sylvia Striplin’s seminal groover You Can’t Turn Me Away Taken from their new album Flowers, which is destined to soundtrack basically every BBQ I have this summer.
https://durandjonesandtheindications.bandcamp.com/album/flowers
Leon Bridges wrote this a decade ago around the time of his fantastic debut LP Coming Home, but it’s only just seeing the light of day. Nostalgic country-soul stylings from one of the best sounding voices in the business.
Thee modern masters of sweet soul return with We Don’t Have to Be Alone: a gorgeous, floaty ballad that deals with two folks coming to terms with the fact that it’s ok to find comfort and joy in love at a provisional level. Happy Friday y’all.
https://theesacredsouls.bandcamp.com/track/we-dont-have-to-be-alone
duendita’s cutie lands as one of the standout tracks from their new album a strong desire to survive, out via MIKE’s 10k label. It’s a low-slung, slightly off-kilter soul tune that leans into brittle drums, tangled instrumentation and a vocal that pulls everything into place without trying too hard.
https://duendita.bandcamp.com/album/a-strong-desire-to-survive
Penned at his hometown of Wheaton, Maryland, soul boy Jalen Ngonda returns with Just As Long As We’re Together – a smooth, soulful nod to classic Motown, with effortless falsetto, warmth, and lush instrumentation. Channeling the spirit of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Ngonda delivers a heartfelt ode to love, wrapped in rich melodies and timeless charm.
https://jalenngonda.bandcamp.com/track/just-as-long-as-were-together
Here’s another one I missed from last year, taken from American singer, songwriter and producer Bilal’s sixth studio album Adjust Brightness: a heady blend of soul, jazz and funk through an electronic lens. Full of life and warmth, there’s also a menacing undercurrent to The Story that adds to its allure.
SAULT’s Acts of Faith was originally released as a free download back in July 2024 before a surprise official release on Christmas day last month. I missed both of these releases, so I’m sharing the beautiful opening track now for everyone else whose fingers is a firmly on the pulse as mine.
I was going to post a 17 minute drone piece from Pefkin (which is really excellent and you should definitely listen to it) but decided this, from Qendresa’s new album Londra, was more “Friday vibes”.
The Predatory Wasp 