"This is old, this is new / this is marry and divorce / this is red, black and green, and everything in between / this is hate, this is love / this is sober, this is drunk, this is funky like a skunk / this is A, this is B, this is blind can't you see." ... Just a couple of phrases from the opening killer track Conflict (This is your brain on Drugs), from one of the industry's most inventive artitsts this day, Sy Smith. Mrs. Smith, who has traveled and explored the scene quite some years now as a backing vocalist for Whitney Houston, Macey Gray, Usher, Me' shell N' degeocello, and as a solo artist is a mistress in balancing and mixing typical soul sounds, funk, hip - hop and intelligent lyricism. A quality, immediately demonstrated on the opening, mid - tempo track Conflict, that floats on a dark and greasy funk beat and bombs you with statements that are painful on one side, humouristic and provocative on the other side. It's the perfect 'tone setter' though for the first couple of tracks which are all mid - tempo beat driven gems. from Fly with Me and The things I Do, which could be described as rather typical soul jams to Overthought in which Sy overwhelmes with some vocal experiments on a laid back funk beat. With the art of You, the tempo is driven up with a groovy break beat to climax in a fantastic chorus line. A cool introduction to one of my favourite jams on this 11 track album. Spies, again contains an intelligent lyrical composition on an addictive handclap beat and a killer arrangement. I think this is the closest one can come to the excellence of Prince. Sy Smith, as mentioned, masters in presenting all different tastes of music and tempos. Ain't nobody's Bizness as a perfect crossover between old school and nu school soul, funky and mysterious in Reach down in your Soul. On B - side love Affair, soul romanticism even flirts with drum 'n bass in this unusual but splendid cut. The fantastic aspect on Conflict is that this album doesn't contain any 'ueseless' filling. All compositions are of an enormous high level, brought by a singer with a tremendous voice, an eye for original words and unique creativity. If you get a chance to get your hands on a copy of Conflict, certainly do so. A highly recommended CD.

A Teach review

Sy Smith Linxxx

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