The Kool Kids

London calling! The two artists today both hail from that metropolis and form part of the new wave of class neo-soul acts emanating from the city and diversifying what the genre can represent.

Honne — Warm on a Cold Night (Tatemae/Atlantic, available on Amazon.com). The first time I heard of the electronic soul duo, Honne, was when my youngest, Luca, took note of how it had collaborated with fellow East London artist Jones, on two tracks of her solo release. Luca declared the duo a cool act, and my curiosity was piqued. The album pretty much puts together all its output from the last three years, and it has an impressive intro to vocalist Andy and musician/producer James. The name means “real intention” in Japanese, and the cover art belies this affinity to things Japanese. The title track, Coastal Love, The Night and Someone That Loves You (with Izzy Bizu guesting on vocals) are my current favorites, but the whole album speaks volumes.

Izzy Bizu — A Moment of Madness (Sony Music, available on Amazon.com). At 22, born out of a union between an Ethiopian woman and an English father, Izzy Bizu has created a definitive album that may help make her career. If pushed to the wall, I would describe her as a cross between Amy Winehouse and Corinne Bailey Rae, dabbling effortlessly in soul, funk, jazz and pop. Just listen to the carrier single White Tiger, and be enthralled by how her vocals swoop and dive with abandon. The upbeat Skinny and Naive Soul both uplift, while the mid-tempo Gorgeous lives up to its title. Impressive is how she has crammed 17 quality tracks into this debut, and you’ll still find gems at the tailend of the track list. A true winner!