Myron & E

Myron Glasper and Eric Cooke initially connected as back-up singers for Sacramento hip-hop duo Blackalicious and a chance jam session in Finland between Glasper and the Soul Investigators (best known as the crack back-up unit behind Nicole Willis) resulted in the 11 tracks of soul dynamite that comprise Broadway. Recruiting Cooke to finish backing tracks entrusted by Soul Investigators producer Didier Selin, Myron & E make a dynamic duo on this debut, channelling the best of gritty Southern late-'60s Stax soul as well the proto-disco sounds of early '70s Philadelphia. Sure, Broadway won't get any points for originality but the songs, the Soul Investigators' lovingly crafted and energizing retro-aesthetic and most notably, the pair's harmonies honour the soul tradition while adding to it. The haunting, almost apocalyptic imagery of down-tempo opener "Turn Back " is tempered with sweet string flourishes, while the title track and "Everyday Love" are funky grit-inflected vocal workouts. "Do It, Do It Disco" isn't the glitter ball affair that you'd expect since it recalls the sparse chemistry of Philadelphia acts like the Modulations and the Ebonys.