Posted on: June 6, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Douye – Journey / 2008 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.douyetheartist.com /

“Fly Away” is a very chill track, drawing on the early nineties style of R&B put forth by early Mariah Carey and TLC, while couching the vocals in a style that is influenced by the smooth jazz movement. What results is a track that is catchy, sultry, and smart all at the same time. “On For You” keeps the general flow of “Fly Away” but adds a little bit of funk to the track, throwing in a bass line that acts as a counterpoint to the lighter vocals that are committed by Douye. “In Love With You” puts Douye’s vocals in a more focal position than they had been either during “Fly Away” or “On For You”. Beyond the general genres and styles used to craft these earlier tracks, Douye’s vocals take on a timeless sound that even hits on soul before the track finishes up.

Journey’s title track stands out as an impressive track among a slew of solid songs, providing the funkiness of “On For You” but throws in sizzling jazz horns and walking bass lines to create a modern interpretation of the Harlem nightclub scene. “Still Hurting” has big shoes to fill, but does just that. Instead of continuing to work within older styles, Douye’s approach here is current, and draws on Sade as much as Dido here. The success that Douye has on each of these tracks is the same, but the methods that she uses to succeed on these tracks could not be any more different. “Wicked World” moves back to a set of influences similar to those during “Journey”, but there seems to be a little bit of a Caribbean / Latin flair added in to differentiate the track from the rest of “Journey”. Each track on “Journey” expands Douye’s repertoire that much more, and shows individuals that Douye will create a stellar track, no matter what influences that she draws on.

Songs such as “Cold Wind Blows” provide a perfect example of this, as a linkage of the jazz flair first present on earlier songs is meshed perfectly with a style that draws on a gospel approach. It is not that Douye is influenced by masters such as Billie Holiday and Stevie Wonder, but rather that Douye expands on the examples that each person provided. What comes forth during “Journey” is the logical progression to the last album of some of these masters, and is the start to will undoubtedly be an amazing career for Douye.

Top Tracks: Wicked World, On For You

Rating: 7.7/10

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