Since first bursting onto the scene in 2014 with her very first real introduction as a solo artist with, Fire’s All Around You, ARTium Records singer/songwriter, Snoh Aalegra has easily over the past three years grown to not only be one of my favorite R&B/Soul artists, but artists across all music period. So to say I had very high expectations for the No I.D. protege’s debut album, FEELS, would be a gross understatement. Especially after delivering us the very soulful cinematic masterpiece last year, known as her, Don’t Explain EP.
With FEELS, just like, Don’t Explain, you are drawn in right away with the very smooth and rich infectious sound of the opening record, All I Have. Where the Swedish, but now currently residing in Los Angeles singer uses her sweet and soothingly rich vocals to explain how we all use our emotions and consciousness of ourselves to develop love over a journey of time and space. That journey of time and space developing and continuing to grow over a long time that becomes timeless. Letting you know just how timeless and memorable this album will be to so many years from now as well. The very next record, Sometimes, being the perfect segue from the intro track, as Snoh continues to go emotionally in-depth about how she, “sometimes even wonders if she should still be here.” Her smoky vocals continuing to be on display, while Logic delivers a very amazingly superb guest verse.
Things really start to get into the truly emotional eerily haunting tone on the hauntingly great Worse. Which finds Aalegra over the creeping bassline of the Atu + Dpat production singing about a love that will only get worse and make her, “break your heart.” Hot damn, things start to get more upbeat and fun on the very next infectious record, You Got Me, which is a true jam that will have you singing the lyrics and chorus over and over again.
As the album goes into the middle part, Snoh really starts to pour her heart all out over the very beautiful Brandon Eugene Owens and Mich Holden co-produced, Out Of Your Way. By far the most beautiful and emotional record on the album, her voice almost sounds like an old Janet Jackson record, but where you could still tell that it’s Snoh’s. It’s also the best record on the album as well and could even move you to tears with how beautifully great it truly is. The very beautifully No I.D.-produced and Vic Mensa featured, You Keep Me Waiting, than has the emotional singer, yearning and waiting for her lover, whom she no longer really wants to wait for love from. While on the J. Ville-produced standout single, Fool For You, Aalegra then seems to find a new lover she sings about falling a fool in love with and she says even reminds her in certain ways of a love she once had. The really beautiful bridge, chorus and melody working so seamlessly together with her very amazing and soft angelic voice to show what an amazing and raw talent the singer is. To say the next record, Time, is timeless, would be a true understatement too. As it’s yet another very beautifully moving and emotional record from the Swedish singer, which could either move or almost move you to tears and is said to actually be about the singers father, who she wish she had more time with growing up. Snoh then goes back to that soulfully cinematic sound we have come to expect on most of her records with the Christian Rich-produced standout, Nothing Burns Like The Cold. Which yet again showcases her beautifully sweet vocals, as she sings about an emotional heartbreak she went through and also has her ARTium labelmate, Vince Staples adding his own poetic flair about an unstable relationship.
When the album moves to the latter part with the title track, Snoh gives us all of the feels one goes through while developing a love in a very happy and new relationship. The horns and drums backdrop of the upbeat, yet still soulful No I.D. production, being the perfect companion for the singer to do so. As it really let’s her soft, yet beautiful vocals, that are somewhat reminiscent of the late great Amy Winehouse, but you could still tell are her own be showcased. The next record, Like I Used To, lets Snoh once again show off her amazingly great soft vocals, while she reminiscences about several different things, including the changes in the seasons making her not, “feel like” she “used to.” The switch up to a more Caribbean and almost Dancehall-type of beat, midway through the song when Timbuktu comes on for his guest rap verse is a real nice change of pace that really works too. While on, Walls, over the slow building drums and piano of the soulful Alt + Dpat and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman co-produced record, Snoh shows her versatility with how she transitions and sings with an almost Rock-like passion and bravado, which would make her late great one time mentor, Prince, proud. The horns, drums and various dope instrumentation so of Adrian Younge’s production, are just right and perfect for the singer to close out the album with Recent Times too, As Snoh gives you that good feeling again about wanting to stay alive with all the good music that has started to happen again in recent times. Her very timeless and what many will consider over time and space, classic debut album, FEELS, being one as proof and that shows what a truly great talent and artist she is, who will be remembered as a future legend if she keeps it up.