Funk

Kevin Michael: LISA

Kevin Michael is at it again with another spunky mixtape. This time, we’re revisiting his 13-track collection, LISA, which stands for “love is so amazing”. The concept album, put together with the help of Michael’s longtime collaborator Brian Kidd, is a lite nostalgic affair that takes you back to the glory of the 2009-2010 musical period: pulsating beats, ‘swagger’, and ultra-smooth harmonies — elements that currently proliferates today’s top 40 picks.

Balance and the Travelling Sounds: Departure

Here’s one ‘departure’ from the usual R&B and soul you’re exposed to: Balance and the Travelling Sounds. Calling their funky music as “neo-soul” (remember Lili K?), the group meshes musical tropes from the jazz, R&B, and hip-hop genres to create a type of music that’s both nostalgic and unmistakably modern at the same time.