"Perfect Imperfection" by J J Bygrave and Princess

Following his collaboration with Brudez ("Here and Now": you can find it too on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Twelve'), Beat Rebel Records supremo Justin Bygrave has today offered us his follow-up, "Perfect Imperfection": this time his partner in rhyme is Princess D Krazy.

It's a very different sort of track and if he's aiming to demonstrate his own breadth of vision and musical taste, then the contrast with its predecessor does the trick very nicely.

Much as I dislike genre categorisation and try not in indulge in it, I suppose that the contemporary definition of "R&B" (which is a long way from the one I grew up with) is probably broad enough to cover both. Which is actually of little help as they are so different. The earlier track is perfectly well describable as rap and this one fits "soul" nicely. Very nicely in fact.

Musically, he's slowed things right down and left his royal vocalist space to make her singing the prime focus. For her part, she's repaid his trust with an equally restrained and tasteful performance thankfully devoid of the sort of excessive vocal showboating gymnastics that one suffers all too often in songs of this type.

I must admit that I know nothing of her beyond this song, but he's chosen his collaborator with his customary enlightened instincts: the philosophy appears to be "keep it simple" on both arrangement and delivery and the simplicity enhances the sense of honesty.

Again, I'm not aware of how it was written or by whom, but it's a subtle and graceful tune which, intentional or not, has the summer groove to fit the current weather.

As I say, as a calling card for his own range & that of the label, you couldn't wish for better. Play the two back-to-back and you'd not easily detect any commonality of musicians. Despite his renown as a bassist, he's dialled that right back in the service of the song: and that sacrifice itself is greatly to his credit.