Laws – Hold You Down (Remix)

Forget for a moment that the hook of this high-octane hip-hop massacre sounds like it’s sung by Optimus Prime (which is awesome in and of itself); what I really love about the track is Laws himself. Born in Brazil and raised in Florida, this budding rap star rounds up a hot trio of featuring Big K.R.I.T. and Emilio Rojas (who kicks things off going like a million miles an hour).  This is hot, hot heat, people. Hot, hot heat.

A Fine Frenzy – Electric Twist

Alison Sudol is officially my new celebrity crush, and I’ve got the music video for “Electric Twist” to thank for that. The song itself is perfect—upbeat but patient—a snazzy, thumping rock track that croons and soothes and boogies all at the same time, and Sudol’s subtle dance moves in the video are the epitome of sexy. Talented gal, great song, perfect video.

Simon Webbe – Grace

It’s hard to sing in the lowest registers of the male voice and maintain a legitimately poppy sound, but Webbe just pumps out hit and after hit without having to trill like Christina Aguilera or drill super-high notes like (ugh) Adam Lambert. The man just sings it and means it, and so many of his tracks are rife with positive messages that it’s hard not to just enjoy the whole Simon Webbe experience. “Grace” might be a couple years old, but it’s been getting a lot of play in my iPod lately. Gorgeous melodies drive this track from start the finish, but it’s catchy and moving enough to leave you affected well after the facts.

Simon Webbe isn’t your typical singer-songwriter.  I mean he sings and he songwrites, but he’s more than that.   He’s what you’d get if you mixed Seal with Usher and a super-fly DJ that plays acoustic guitar but is also a part-time break-dancer and friends with Timbaland.  You see what I’m saying?

This UK native first graced the music scene in 2005 with his debut album, Sanctuary.  Overall, the album is definitely different, but good different.  Like putting flavored creamer in your coffee or switching to Geico.  To be honest, the first single from this album, “Lay Your Hands”,  is really what put me on to Simon Webbe.  The mix of acoustic guitar, R & B flavor and sample tracks give it a sound that pulls on many musical genres, uniquely defining the music that is Simon Webbe.

Lay Your Hands

But that’s just the icing on the cake. Or the cake without the icing. Or the sugar that hasn’t gone in the cake yet.  Either way it’s delicious.

After the success of Sanctuary came the sophomore album, Grace.  This is the album that I seriously can not get enough of.  One listen to the first single, “Coming Around Again”, and you’ll be hooked.  One thing I really dig about Simon Webbe is the overall positive feeling he generates through his music.  He chooses not to take liberties with explicit content which, nowadays, is hard to come by with hip-hop and R & B music.  Check out “Coming Around Again” below.  There’s really no video, but you can listen to the song and that’s all that really matter in the end.  But seriously, check out the full video here.

So if you don’t want to listen to a mix of Seal with Usher and a super-fly DJ that plays acoustic guitar but is also a part-time break-dancer and friends with Timbaland, then I don’t know what to tell you. Except that you’re missing out.

Amazon Music

Like Simon Webbe?  Check out DJ Format!