Hand Picked 001
Hand Picked is where we dive a little deeper into our favorite songs of the moment. Not just what's getting added to our playlists, but what's getting played over and over.
Hand Picked is a Yams stamp of approval. This week, we’ve got 6 new R&B songs for you that we think you will love. Prepare to press play.
Jesse Boykins III – Rain
When lyrics can paint a vivid picture of what the song is about – it’s a winner in my book. And that’s exactly what Jesse Boykins III does on “Rain".
I don't want you to go
But every time it rains, you leave me high and dry, oh
It's the little things that make for hard goodbyes, oh
And all the changes I been through
They just don't compare to you
So cloudy stays my mood (So cloudy)
Standing in the rain
The minimal production makes these lyrics hit even harder. Jesse’s new album ‘New Growth’ is amazing from top to bottom, but this one here is my standout.
Naomi Sharon – If This Is Love
OVO’s first lady Naomi Sharon just delivered one helluva debut album with ‘Obsidian.’ It’s very Afro-influenced (which was a pleasant surprise). ‘Obsidian’ takes inspiration from Black Coffee and Sade while being reminiscent of the soulful/healing vibes of Tems. There’s tribal drums, there’s mellow house production. There are sprinkles of the sonic world that Noah “40” Shebib and Drake have created on a select few tracks.
All of the mentioned can be heard in “If This Is Love”, which is one of the albums’ standouts.
Avery Wilson – Kiss The Sky
Very few people in the music industry have a voice like Avery Wilson’s voice. And with a voice like that and production by Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony (who have created hits for Bruno Mars, Fantasia and more), Avery is in his prime on “Kiss The Sky.” “Kiss The Sky” is the type of feel good R&B that people on Twitter claim to miss. The “I miss bridges”, “I miss emotion”, “I miss sanging” chants end here.
Arin Ray – Moonlight
It’s been 4 years since Arin Ray’s last ‘Phases’ project, but he’s back with the ‘Phases III’ EP. Featuring 11 songs, ‘Phases III’ is an eclectic, free-feeling collection of R&B. Tricky Stewart and James Fauntleroy can be found as collaborators on the EP, but our ears got stuck on “Moonlight” – a lo-fi banger that you’ll want to play loud to feel that extra knock from your car’s subwoofer.
Jordan Hawkins – Do It To Me
“We go good together, just like skin on leather.” Those are the lyrics of R&B’s newest rockstar Jordan Hawkins. It’s fitting that he talks about wearing leather, as the singer and guitarist’s music has a grit and an edge that’s been lacking in R&B. Fans of Miguel and D’Angelo will definitely appreciate Jordan’s music.
Sango, Jayla Darden – Drifted
What we love about music collective Soulection is the community of music creatives that they’ve introduced the world to over the years. Two of our favorite “alumni” are producer Sango and singer-songwriter Jayla Darden. So these two coming together for “Drifted” felt like a match made in heaven. We need more of this pairing in the future.
Listen to more songs like the ones above on the YAMS playlist.