Four albums in, Cameroon-born, Netherlands-raised Ntjam Rosie has a nice handle on folksy soul music. A stylistic through line can be immediately drawn to the artistry of India.Arie, and the elements of jazz, gospel and African music make for chilled out vibes throughout. The jazzy strains of lead single "The One" entrance, while the Pink Oculus-starring "Always on the Run" mine midtempo electro grooves to good effect.
Numbers like the acoustically driven "Akiba (Thank You)" and the strings-fuelled "You Build Me Up" showcase Rosie's strong, laid-back vocals and jazz sensibilities. There's nothing mind-blowing here, but that's not a bad thing: The One reflects Rosie's artistic competencies, her R&B/Jazz sensibilities and her ability to fuse African musical stylings with Western influences, and it's more than enough to satisfy.
(Gentle Daze Records)Numbers like the acoustically driven "Akiba (Thank You)" and the strings-fuelled "You Build Me Up" showcase Rosie's strong, laid-back vocals and jazz sensibilities. There's nothing mind-blowing here, but that's not a bad thing: The One reflects Rosie's artistic competencies, her R&B/Jazz sensibilities and her ability to fuse African musical stylings with Western influences, and it's more than enough to satisfy.
