When I talk to people over here about soul and R&B music, I often discover that the 'non - fan' experiences a lot of new projects as monotonous or 'all the same'. I tell them that this is a typical reaction of someone who only has knowledge of mainstream soul and R&B, as the genre provides more than enough research material to discover just the opposite ... a rich and diverse purport of music.
With quite some reviews on my resume, I'm able to direct these 'rookies' towards all fantastic remote corners of the genre, often meeting them again later as new born soul fans.
I've always been a fan of diversity. I still think this is the corner stone of soul related music and the most important characteristic feature that makes this music so unique. With her first 2 EP's, Yolanda Johnson already convinced us that she is a remarkable artist who loves to experiment with the boundaries of soul music. Her first full length carries on this tradition as Breathing is a melting pot of styles, sounds and impressions, that only can serve as reminders of why we all love this music so much.
Opening up the disc with Inhale - Ude, an intro with an eighties twist in the Kajagoogoo sample, Yolanda, from that point takes us by the hand and doesn't let go until the final notes have been played. Guiding us through 16 tracks, and over an hour of wonderful tunes, injecting slow and mid - tempo soul and R&B with hip hop, pop and infectious funk.
The first highlight of Breathing comes with Living, a track that sounds as a cross between Marcus Miller, Me'Shell, Flea and Bootsy Collins, decorated with Johnson's infiltrating voice in a fantastic funk jam. After this, the true treasure hunt has only just begun as Breathing truly offers some magnificent gems. A frivolous, playful When I see You, a greasy and phat Strut or an intimate and fragile slow jam I need You ... the majority of Yolanda Johnson's tracks easily surpass average.
Breathing therefore, makes the ideal example of an album representing the new soul movement and a generation of artists that protrude with creativity and craftsmanship.
A recommended album.

A Teach review

Yolanda Johnson Linxxx

> Yolanda Johnson Official Website
> Yolanda Johnson on Myspace