GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW - ‘KING’S BALLAD’
Published: The Big Issue #351, March/April 2010.
King’s Ballad
Georgia Anne Muldrow
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Georgia Anne Muldrow is a prodigy of contemporary black music. Since announcing herself via the shuffling, wonky grooves and free-jazz vocal explorations of 2006 neo-soul epic Olesi: Fragments of an Earth, the 26-year-old Los Angeles vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer has established a reputation as one of contemporary soul, RnB and hip-hop’s most prolific and idiosyncratic protagonists.
Her fifth solo record might just be her most realised. Kings Ballad sees Muldrow expand her typically fragmented and fleeting funk grooves into fully formed, modern soul compositions.
There are countless highlights, from the stunning percussive intricacies and swooning, interlocked harmonies of ‘Simple Life’ to the shimmering keys and modular bass groove of title track and Michael Jackson eulogy ‘King’s Ballad’.
But while such tracks prove an exciting development, it’s still Muldrow’s forays into more gestural, hip-hop and funk hooks that really shine here. The cosmic, synth-washed rap tropes of ‘Thrones’, the sticky funk romance of ‘Summer Love’ and soaring, piano-scored centre-piece ‘To the Stage’ (both featuring husband and funk poet Dudley Perkins) are some of Muldrow’s most engaging statements yet.
While her voice has always been her showpiece, King’s Ballad establishes Muldrow as an urban composer and producer par excellence.
Dan Rule
