JALEN NGONDA
Doctrine Of Love (Daptone)
Three years ago, Washington DC-born artist Jalen Ngonda blew minds and repaired broken hearts with his 1970s soul-flavoured R&B debut album Come Around And Love Me. It elevated him from playing small, dimly lit backstreet joints to hitting the stages of 5000-capacity venues bursting at the seams. And now his second LP, Doctrine Of Love, is with us.
Thelate-60s vibe and groove to Doctrine… soaks up the sonic energy of that period – most notably Motown, though with a dash of The Beatles – and, of course, Ngonda’s trademark majestic vocals lead the way nicely. The title track is up there with James Brown’s I Got The Feelin’ when it comes to positive vibes, and Hang It On The Shelf and Anyone In Love are timeless classics in the making. A classy, soul-filled and unfeigned winner from start to finish.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
