to listen or purchase
Appearances can be deceiving. Tomi's self-titled debut album, released independently on Rose Hip Records, is worthy of the critical acclaim it's sure to garner. He's originally from Bratislava, Slovakia (Central Europe) and currently resides in Chicago, IL. Tomi (pronounced "tow-me") is already being compared to blue-eyed R&B heavyweights Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake. Undoubtedly though, all three of these artists were greatly influenced and inspired by the masterful Prince. Tomi wrote, produced, and also arranged the entire project. He even played all of the recorded instruments on Tomi.
Appearances can be deceiving. Tomi's self-titled debut album, released independently on Rose Hip Records, is worthy of the critical acclaim it's sure to garner. He's originally from Bratislava, Slovakia (Central Europe) and currently resides in Chicago, IL. Tomi (pronounced "tow-me") is already being compared to blue-eyed R&B heavyweights Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake. Undoubtedly though, all three of these artists were greatly influenced and inspired by the masterful Prince. Tomi wrote, produced, and also arranged the entire project. He even played all of the recorded instruments on Tomi.
Sexuality and music often times go hand-in-hand. Everybody has a preferred music soundtrack for those special engagements with a person of interest. Tomi is a welcome addition to that secret play-list. Songs such as "Let Me Have Your Body", "So Much Sex" and "BabyGetDown" are self-explanatory in concept. Tomi's intentions are spelled out vividly on the forward-thinking mid-tempo track "All I Wanna Do." He says "I know we just met and I'm moving too fast...give it to me like I'm your last."
The album's lead single is a subtle and safe cut called "You Can Tell Me", which fails to showcase this musician's full potential. Yet, on "Love Is What I Found" and "Baby Where You At", Tomi is able to flex those funky sweet melodies in a way that's reminiscent of soul music greats like Rahsaan Patterson and Raphael Saadiq.
Unlike many contemporary artists, Tomi didn't rush the production of his self-titled debut album. It's quality R&B/soul music from start to finish. Lyrically, he expresses his feelings so strongly on the heart-broken "I Thought." He sings "tell me why I gave you more than I gave my mother. Now, you just treating me like no other." He later explains in the song - "baby you don't even love yourself so how could you possibly love someone else."
The album Tomi deserves the soul music spotlight. It's well-rounded and executed flawlessly. Again, Tomi successfully wrote, produced, arranged and performed a solid 14-track set independently of any major record label. Take a listen and enjoy his sound. Tomi has arrived.
By Akim Bryant