Goapele

Goapele (phonetically pronounced "gwa-pa-lay”) is a diverse and well versed artist whose music is richly textured with a spiritual sensuality and a streetwise soul, hip-hop, R&B sensibility. Even Closer is Goapele’s debut album, and the first single "Closer” is the embodiment of her silky smooth vibe; a track that has been featured on both the urban underground neo-soul and house scenes. The only problem with the album is the one tone Goapele maintains throughout; each track on its own is conceivably thought-provoking, a testament to Goapele’s writing abilities but as a commercial package it lacks a certain positive transgression into the realm of something new. You feel her, no doubt, but it’s just not enough to be slotted into the repeat/play mode. Goapele is a talent reminiscent of Sade and with this release she’s almost there, "even closer” as it were, to fully busting through but not quite.