Blu – California Soul 2xLP (Preorder März)

Preorder: Ende März

Pressed on Black Double-Vinyl LP

Blu publishes his first studio album ‚California Soul‘ created in 2003.
Blu himself in an ‚interview‘ with Doc Jota (blogger and great Hispanic rap reference) that this album did not come out due to the creation of Below The Heavens and the truth is that it is a shame since this project is a real bomb.

This essence of a mixtape, with a carefree production that, rather than seeking monotony or just minimal pleasure, goes beyond drinking and making an ode to black music itself. We see moments of creative lucidity that are very reminiscent of The Roots as in Pimp Strutt and where it also seems that we see the first songs of Miguel’s career, a collaborator more than a classic throughout the Californian’s career.

Highlighting songs, talking about Pimp Strutt, which draws on the most danceable funk, with a super groovy and sensual base, Blu navigates this beat like a pirate and then surprises you at the end of the song, with a pause and a crazy freestyle by L’s with a Catchy Blu beatbox, it reminded me a lot of Step Into The Relm by The Roots.

In Feel Good Music we see all the main juice of the project, that tone of soul samples that hip hop led in the early 2000’s. I also love these powerful beat drums, where we see a super smooth chorus that draws on R&B and makes the song a more enjoyable listen, these rap cuts with an R&B soul are the tone of the project without a doubt, also Johnson’s wordplay and technique Barnes are not nonsense.Soul Sista has what I said before, super digestible chipmunk soul with an extra dance rhythm, Blu moves with skill as if he were a veteran at that time but no, it was his first album and Miguel’s feat is remarkable, those words are so sharp support in the chorus are super remarkable and give another layer, great cut, short and at the foot.

Hey DJ is another song with a feat by Miguel and in this everything is encompassed towards Neo-soul with a great performance and appearance by Miguel and another great highlight by Blu creating tracks with that rhythm that also attracts any guy who is not a fan of the hip hop, groovy and smooth! California Soul, another song with a well-crafted aura, some super happy and colorful atmospheric harmonies, also with a beautiful vocal feat by Haskell, it seems that we are in a ceremony with all the passion of the beat.

Hold Up has one of the best beats of the project, with a jazzy and aquatic aura, I love how Blu approaches this beat and the production is very good as in the entire project, Blu’s vocal chorus is super catchy and to put on a simply superhero movie, great song. Somebody Else is the best song on the album, with a spectacular electric guitar in the background, it gives you warmth, joy, it gives you the whole vibe of the song and that passionate chorus is something to sing your heart out, a brutal highlight and Blu simply makes magic.

In conclusion, California Soul (I will consider it as a 2024 album) is a sample of what Blu was going to be in its future, for 2003 it is one of the most outstanding projects I have heard from that time, an interpretation of soul and music maximized black music, with grooved beats and a lot of essence of Neo-soul, R&B and all those genres that African Americans created in the mid-60’s and 70’s.

Project that shows that Blu was going to be a legend of this magnitude in the underground.