Kaleo Futuristo – The Future Is Now! (CD)

“I Thought” is a tasty bit of R&B that draws equal inspiration from all different facets of the genre, tying together Aaliyah, Bow Wow, and even Justin Timberlake. The track itself benefits from a solid backing beat, creating for Kaleo a song that should be played on rotation on R&B radio through the country. “Love Slave” further builds off of “I Thought”, creating for listeners a track that is truly timeless, touching heavily upon the eclectic and spontaneous sound of early Nelly more than anything. “The Future Is Now!” is an album that defies genre boundaries, and through its 14 tracks, establishes to listeners exactly whom Kaleo is.

“Rock Hard” is a track that flips the script and does better what bands like P.O.D. did a few years back. There are equal amounts of funk and gritty rock, making for a track that individuals can either dance or mosh to. “Air of the Night” is a track that works slightly off Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”, and in much the same way as “Rock Hard”, takes the source material to the next level. Where the whole Genesis / rap thing has been done before (in Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s “Bone”), the flow that Kaleo trots out for this track is fire. The covering of the original lyrics bring a different type of soul to the track, ensuring that no one forgets Kaleo’s name.

“Susie Q” is yet another single-worthy track for Kaleo, working off of the classic “Susie Q” track, but in a drastically different way than the original. The song has a flow to it that is diverse as all get out, meaning that if listeners focus in to the vocals, they can hear bits of Chromeo, Michael Jackson, and even MC Chris. With all of these different sounds and styles, there is no reason that a fan of music should hesitate before picking up “The Future Is Now!”. Kaleo’s star is rising with every single time that his music is played on network and cable television, and “The Future Is Now!” should ensure that listeners are singling along for a long time after.

Top Tracks: I Thought, Young Ones

Rating: 8.9/10

Kaleo Futuristo – The Future Is Now! / 2009 Self / 14 Tracks / http://www.kaleofuturisto.com