to listen or purchase
The time may now be right for Hil St. Soul. While the duo has been a critical darling for the past few years, that acclaim has only resulted in moderate sales success, particularly in the US. SOULidified could be the album that formally introduces Hil St. Soul to the growing adult soul audience. Hilary Mwelwa's voice is as engaging as ever on the disc, and comparisons to India.Arie are tough to avoid, especially on cuts like the acoustic soul "It's OK" and the nice mid-tempo "Can We Spend Some Time." Mwelwa doesn't match Arie's talent as a lyricist, but musically shows her strength on the excellent opening cut "Sweet On You," the ballad "Goodbye" and "One of A Kind." One gets the feeling that if Mwelwa keeps plugging away with attractive, accessible music, her audience will continue to grow. In that regard, SOULidified -- while not a groundbreaking disc - is a solid vehicle to further the ascent of Hil St.
The time may now be right for Hil St. Soul. While the duo has been a critical darling for the past few years, that acclaim has only resulted in moderate sales success, particularly in the US. SOULidified could be the album that formally introduces Hil St. Soul to the growing adult soul audience. Hilary Mwelwa's voice is as engaging as ever on the disc, and comparisons to India.Arie are tough to avoid, especially on cuts like the acoustic soul "It's OK" and the nice mid-tempo "Can We Spend Some Time." Mwelwa doesn't match Arie's talent as a lyricist, but musically shows her strength on the excellent opening cut "Sweet On You," the ballad "Goodbye" and "One of A Kind." One gets the feeling that if Mwelwa keeps plugging away with attractive, accessible music, her audience will continue to grow. In that regard, SOULidified -- while not a groundbreaking disc - is a solid vehicle to further the ascent of Hil St. Soul, and should continue the lengthy coming out of the group as a talented young act worth hearing.
By Chris Rizik