SV & Alyssa Jane – Neo Phily

SV & Alyssa Jane – Neo Phily – Album Review

If there’s a collaboration we know of that has proven to be as effective as it gets, it’s definitely these two.  We were introduced to producer SV and singer Alyssa Jane through a couple of single that were released in advance of this record last year, and here at long last, they’re bringing us to Neo Phily.  While it’s no surprise whatsoever to hear them performing together at such a high level, it sure sounds damn good to be right!  These two artists are a seamless fit that complements each other’s natural talents, and you’ll hear that in action throughout the insane fluidity of this collaborative album from start to finish.  Neo Phily has SV & Alyssa Jane sounding every bit like the all-stars they truly are.

With more than fifteen years in the game on his side of the story, it’s no secret that SV has a genuine gift for creating cuts that you can truly feel.  As they light it up with “Kerosene” at the beginning of Neo Phily, your ears are guaranteed to appreciate the smoothness of the jazzy beat that fuels the fire as the album kicks into gear.  I feel like there’s no doubt about the high degrees of accessibility you’ll discover here – I would have honestly had no problem listening to “Kerosene” as an instrumental, but it’s certainly a pleasure to be able to listen to AJ do her thing and bring the heat to the mic.  I mean, heck, if we’re dissecting the two halves of what makes a track like this work, I’d have listened to her sing this a capella too if you really wanna know – they’re both remarkably skilled individuals, but they’ve totally levelled up by collaborating together to get the best out of each other, you feel me?  “Kerosene” is instantaneous confirmation that they can create brilliantly on a unified front, and the catchy sounds of everything you’ll hear from the music to the microphone reveal how irresistible this collaboration is.

One of the easiest ways to measure the strength of a collaboration is when you can pinpoint a track that might not be as much of a hit as the rest, but remains ridiculously accessible, like “Leave” is.  Chances are, you’re not gonna be able to take your ears off of this song, yet in comparison to something like what you just experienced in “Kerosene” beforehand, this track wouldn’t be regarded in the same way.  “Kerosene” flexes a more traditional take on single-worthy sound, whereas “Leave” is that deep cut you’re hoping to find on a record that’ll hold up strong throughout the years and continually keep you coming back.  They’re both essential contributions to this lineup in their own unique way, and ultimately they both speak volumes on behalf of how strong the material they’re rocking genuinely is.  “Leave” is more of a new-school cut…it’s got that underground feel to it, while also presenting a captivating vibe that could easily have this track being many of your favorite from the record.  You see what I’m saying?  It might not possess what we typically tend to associate with single-worthy sound, but the incredible depth that you’ll find in “Leave” will make it just as much of a hit with people listening to the record as a separate release ever could.  It’s potent tracks like “Leave” that confirm this duo is a serious force to be reckoned with, that brings their A-game to every moment you’ll hear.  It’s hypnotic, mesmerizing, and performed with an astounding level of professionalism that has this collaboration sounding at its best.  From the soulful sound of Alyssa’s singing, to the confidence she brings to her bars, to the cleverness of SV’s production and the uniqueness of this song overall, they should be proud of what they’ve created on “Leave” and how a track like this shows they’re capable of so much more than just flashy singles.

Things move quickly, and the fluidity of this set-list will continually impress ya.  “Pressed” is another stellar example of a track that exemplifies their underground-hero type of sound…like, for many of you out there, Neo Phily is gonna be that album you put on when you want to blow the minds of your closest friends and take the party to the next level.  The versatility they have is nothing short of amazing when it comes right down to it – Alyssa is such a remarkable talent as a singer to begin with, but when you hear the consistent precision she brings to her bars as well, you can’t help but acknowledge how she’s able to create such innovative diversity in the material overall.  I like that these two keep you guessing as to what’ll come next in that regard as well…maybe AJ’s gonna sing, maybe she’s gonna rap, maybe she’s gonna do both – you never really know what it’s gonna be on any given track, but you know that it’s gonna contain the quality you wanna find no matter which direction they choose to go in.  Having this high degree of versatility in what they can create makes SV and Alyssa Jane an undeniable multi-threat in all the right ways – you get a lot out of a record like Neo Phily and its levels of diversity.

“Trip On Me” was one of the original cuts I got to hear from this outstanding duo of musical talents, back towards the middle of summer last year.  Here in the context of Neo Phily, they were smart to add this into the lineup – it belongs.  It was also a solid track to have put out there in advance to get those of us paying attention excited about future collaborations between SV & AJ – and again, here we are.  You can partially thank yourselves for that!  Chances are, the encouragement, love and support from everyone that was tuning in and all the positive things we all had to say about everything we heard played a role in these two deciding to keep going.  You can find my original thoughts on “Trip On Me” by clicking right here.  You can also find my previous review on “Down To Zero” by clicking here – this was the first track I actually heard from SV & Alyssa Jane, and to be truthful, I still think it’s a remarkably strong cut.  At just over the two-minute mark, I would have happily accepted a remix for this record at twice the length *cough *cough…but as it stands, I’m still stoked to find it was included in this lineup.  “Down To Zero” is a real highlight example of how these two stepped into the spotlight as one, and displayed their fluid & flawless sound right from the drop – I loved this track then, and I still love it now.

One of the things I admire most in music is consistency.  I don’t have to like or love everything I hear to appreciate someone bringing their best to what they do, you know what I mean?  Like, for example – I like “How It’s Made” – it’s not my favorite from the set, but they’ve put themselves in a position where it could be YOURS, and that’s really all that matters.  We all like what we like and love what we love – all you can ever do as an artist is give every moment everything you’ve got and let the chips fall where they may in the court of public opinion.  SV and AJ handle themselves on an undeniably professional level, and it’s because of that, that songs like “How It’s Made” could become a real standout track to anyone tuning in.  For myself personally, I think “How It’s Made” probably stands out a bit more for the stellar production and ideas that it has within the DNA of the music, but I’d still readily acknowledge that Alyssa puts in a quality performance and that what she brings to the microphone has verifiable hooks people are sure to dig on.  Maybe it’s the spot it has in the lineup…coming after “Down To Zero” is a tougher spot to fill, and perhaps even tougher for me in the sense that I have already developed a nostalgic feeling towards their lead-single – but yeah…overall, they should still be completely pleased with the way that “How It’s Made” came out with such a notably tight rhythm and pulse in its music and vocals.

Chances are, the most single-worthy potential to be found on this record exists within “If You Been Bad” – this has all the right ingredients to become a mega-hit for this collaboration.  If ever there was a time to break out the big guns and get that full video support goin’ on, I’d reckon this is it.  There’s simply so much goin’ right on “If You Been Bad” that it’ll practically get your head spinning trying to keep up to everything that you like about it.  It’s a matter of leveling up, and this is the point on Neo Phily that you can feel both Alyssa and SV step up their game even further.  The beat of “If You Been Bad” is absolutely off-the-charts awesome, the hooks & sample all land solidly and generate a massive amount of interest – and the lead vocals from AJ are a whole realm beyond…she’s put in an award-worthy performance here.  It’s literally to the point where I’d almost be surprised to find any of us hearing this differently – I feel like no matter who you end up asking their opinion for, we’re all gonna conclude that “If You Been Bad” is THE track of all tracks on Neo Phily.  Alyssa sounds like the female equivalent of actual Philly hero – the legendary Black Thought – you simply couldn’t ask for a more compelling performance.  She moves with precision, purpose & intent…and every syllable sticks the landing as a result of her confidence in the material.  Jane is feeling this cut without question, and she proves it in every word that she spits.  On an album filled with quality tracks from start to finish, I think a lot of listeners out there will be pleasantly surprised by how this duo somehow managed to make the experience that much better than it began as they head to the end of Neo Phily – “If You Been Bad” is a true audible triumph.

I think it would have been crazy to try and outdo what they just showed us on “If You Been Bad” in their final track of Neo Phily, so believe me, it was the right call to go a bit lower-key energy-wise to finish this album off the right way.  Switching up the vibe on “Slow Motion” to create a defined ending to this record was the correct call, and it’s still a highly engaging cut that’s bound to satisfy everyone that has been listening along the way.  That smooth and soulful way that Alyssa sings comes through spot-on as she lays down the hooks in this last cut, and producer SV has wisely kept the ingredients fairly minimal in this final track too.  All-in-all, they expertly create a cut that tells your ears you’ve reached the conclusion – you’ll know that “Slow Motion” is the end of the album once you get to it, and just like you should know where the end of a great speech is, this song essentially acts in the same way.  I’m highly impressed by this whole set of songs from this talented two-some…and I still feel like they’re just scratching the surface of what they could go on to do in the future at the very same time.  If this is where it all starts for them, I truly can’t even imagine where they could end up if they keep at it.  I’m fully confident that listeners out there are going to connect with this record in a whole variety of ways.  From appreciating the diversity of the material, to respecting the greatness they bring to each of their roles, SV & Alyssa Jane have created seriously satisfying entertainment on Neo Phily that’ll have you coming back time and time again for another spin.

Find out more about SV & Alyssa Jane at their label’s page at FB:  https://www.facebook.com/JimsPoolRoom

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