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Merging classic soul sensibilities with hip hop in a way which emulates Angie Stone at her sizzling best, Nicole Mitchell has burst onto the scene with her brand new CD 'A Sound Of My Own'. Her divaliscious performance on all 18, (yes 18), songs is sometimes seductive, often sexy and always assured yet although it could be argued that an album of, say, 12 selected tracks might have been a safer path to tread, it cannot be denied that 'A Sound Of My Own' is a collection of tremendous merit and a brilliant showcase for Mitchell's work. In fact it was as far back as 2004 that Nicole gave the first indications of what her music was all about. Her debut 'Many Moods Of Me', a cool concoction of hip hop infused neo soul, included the soulfully sexy 'Everything I Miss At Home' and ultra catchy tunes such as 'Many Moods' and 'Over You'. It signposted the direction in which Nicole was headed and now, four years on, with her own great compositions, increased production nous and top notch input from Sharay Reed and Keith Henderson, Mitchell has really arrived.

'A Sound Of My Own' opens with the stridently horn driven 'Just Me'. With a 'sisters are doing it for themselves' thing going on it brilliantly sums up the confident, sassy persona that Nicole portrays throughout and with 'Rise', despite mellow beginnings, she comes up with a sure fire dance floor filler. The thumping 'Let Go' and the equally compelling 'Tonite' ensure that the tempo remains dazzlingly electric while the vibrant, pop orientated 'Wanna Be' provides Nicole with the opportunity to serve up her own soulful take on 'stadium rock'. Much of Mitchell's musical gift surrounds how, track after track, she is able to maintain a frenetic intensity. '2nd Time Around' with its intoxicating killer beat and the catchy rhythms of 'Chance With U' help Nicole do just that and when with 'Feel The Groove' she evokes 70's Philadelphia, the energy levels remain just as high.

As a producer Mitchell never holds back and employs every trick in the book to make the most of the dance infused 'Why I Love' and the raw 'Crazy'. However, as far as 'A Sound Of My Own' is concerned, 'up tempo' is not the only show in town. The languidly sexy vibe of 'Final Cry' affords a stunning platform for Nicole's big soulful tones while both 'On This Day' and 'Set U Free' show off a refreshingly tender side of her vocal prowess. She assumes a distinctly Macy Gray sound for 'How Long' while her sexy intro on 'Back In The Day' morphs into an ultra cool example of neo soul. That said, amongst an abundance of riches, this is an album that contains several truly exceptional cuts.

Written and produced by Sharay Reed, the deliciously mid tempo 'Have Some Time' features fantastic retro keyboards from Terry Moore. Mitchell's picture perfect vocals are to die for and she is just as good with the mega soulful 'Hurt Affair'. Produced and co-written by Keith Henderson this soulful smoker checks every conceivable box yet even better is the breathtaking 'Thinkin Back'. Mitchell's cool spoken word introduction, a wonderfully jazzy vibe and intricate rhythms that evoke Incognito at its best will ensure that this becomes a Smooth Jazz Therapy track of the year.

Nicole Mitchell is an amazing talent and with 'A Sound Of My Own' has delivered a sensational addition to this year's new music.

Nicole Mitchell - A Sound Of My Own