Eric Benét – The Other One

Soul music has certainly evolved in terms of its sound, but its foundation has never changed. Now in the 21^st century, electronic music has taken over the crown of popular music and R&B has decided to shift gears and get up to date with the times. One artist was bold enough to push the boundaries to achieve this: Eric Benét on his record The Other One.

The four time Grammy-nominated artist introduces an alternative to his original record The One by incorporating a bit of electro-soul, ambient atmospherics and dubstep, courtesy of the producers featured on the album, The Afropeans. The album flows very well, and each track acts a movement that swings into the next one. Interludes named A, B and C appear after every other song. They sound melancholy and trippy, but are great segways for moving into the next track. 

The song Come Together is a tune that sounds like something we’ll hear come Oscar and Golden Globes season, and Harrito Jones is the most profound song that epitomises what Benét was looking to achieve with this record. Throughout the album, Benét’s voice retains its original soul and modernity, only complimenting the new music more. 

Benét has certainly pushed the boundaries of what he is originally known for. The Other One sounds like the future of R&B, or at least lets hope so, as this album is certainly something that should not be ignored. It is so eclectic and different, and perfectly showcases where the R&B genre can go. Listen to this album, and get engulfed in the cosmos…

Joe Hoffman

The Other One was released on 19^th May 2014. For further information or to order the album visit Eric Benet’s website here.

Watch the video for Lay It Down here: