by Ben J. Brown, Jr.

Multi-threat artist Phonte Coleman and genre defying producer Nicolay have returned to deliver their second Foreign Exchange effort entitled Leave It All Behind. Their first album Connected, unleashed in 2004, had them collaborating across the Atlantic Ocean to deliver an amazing blend of electonica, hip hop, and R&B all in one almost seamless effort. The appeal of that album flexed the amazing emcee and vocal talents of Phonte and widened listeners comfort zone with respect to what they considered modern hip hop and soul music. The result drew scores of acclaim and vaulted both into ambitious projects afterwards.

The one thing that made Connected so unique also seemed to alienate the duo from some hip hop heads. The cover had the shadow of a couple embraced in front of a sunset. This energy seemed to seep into the project’s whole as it became an exhibition of melancholy and thought provoking tracks that became explorations of life and love.

This go around, Phonte and Nicolay chose to evolve and take their sound in a different direction. Just as Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh did with Little Brother’s last effort entitled Getback, this second Foreign Exchange effort finds the sound taking a different direction. Hip hop heads need not apply here because the two have embraced the union of chillout, electronica, and soul with only hints of hip hop influence to be found in the production. Instead, Phonte has chosen to sincerely pursue his talent as a songwriter/lead vocalist. Using his amazing ear for weaving harmony into a song, Phonte takes each Nicolay blessing and injects each with his trademark energy, joy, and humor.

Setting the tone from the cover again, this album is a vocal exploration of love. To assist them, familiar recruits Yahzarah and Darien Brockington leave their imprint once again.

New to the Foreign Exchange scene is music vigilante Muhsinah. Quickly making her mark on the first single off the album entitled “Daybreak”, she seemingly has a style the fits with Phonte’s roller coaster harmonies. Beginning the track just as the intro of their debut album did, Nicolay delivers a track that keys notes born of a melancholy scene. As if you were listening to a beach feeling its first chilled fall wind, Nicolay delivers his trademark style as only he can. In comes Phonte and his love affair with amazing vocal harmony that lays softly upon the track with a love story so subtle and yet so affectionate. It carries the solemn chill throughout despite the affirmation of the love that laces the song. Then as Muhsinah answers Phonte’s call from the other edge of the mic, her calls blend perfectly as Phonte repeats, “She loves me” as if in a state of constant surprise, amazement, and a bit of humility. As she continues her perspective in this romance, she unleashes her trademark electric harmony that breathes a new dimension of comfort into the song that takes the entire effort that much further than any other Foreign Exchange effort to date.

This song sets the tone for the entire album as Phonte journey’s through many stages of a relationship. “Take Off the Blues” finds Nicolay unleashes his closest Pete Rock imitation to date providing an upbeat for Darien Brockington and Phonte to groove to. So silkeh!

Taking on arguments, “All Or Nothing-Coming Home to You” bring Phonte and Darien about a track that seems to wander about a stuttering beat that promotes that feeling of being confused. Then just before the track ends, Nicolay smooths the track out a bit more as Darien and Phonte proclaim and profess their love while disregarding the initial confusion.

Quickly borrowing pieces of the previous melody, Nicolay launches into a slow jam with “I Wanna Know” that brings memories of the late great Percy Miracles. Here Phonte goes it alone and questions the relevance of the argument that preceded by accepting all blame in hopes of moving on.

Suddenly, Nicolay takes on a familiar electronica tone to his style to ascend into a grand and epic feeling track entitled “House Of Cards”. Here Phonte and Musinah once again blend effortlessly throughout establishing a sonic confidence made solid by Nicolay’s keys and welcome waves of volume changes throughout the track. Cycling from strong to soft and back, this song observes one’s stubbornness awaiting their fall.

Then, with a skip and a flittering keystroke assisted by jazzy yet determined percussion, Nicolay strays into “Sweeter Than You” as Phonte once again sings his praises to love.

Touching on the pain of saying goodbye, Phonte and Nicolay birth a sad song of the end of a relationship and the resulting energy of a hopeful aftermath. Called “Valediction” it binds the album as an interlude by borrowing from the melody of “Daykeeper”.

Changing the tone a bit, Phonte recruits the talents of Detroit producer and multi-instrumentalist Zo! as well as Yahzarah to do a sweethearted cover of Stevie Wonder’s “If She Breaks Your Heart”. It keeps to the spirit of the rest of the album and ends off with a nice latin flavored jazzy outro.

Coming out the gate with an upbeat electronica track, the duo recruits Yahzarah once again to deliver “If This Is Love”. Here Phonte chooses to provide more of a background vocal role allowing Yazarah to lead throughout. Thoughts of Zero 7 and Everything But The Girl songs float about as this song captures your will to dance and cool out at the same time.

On “Something To Behold”, Nicolay eases into an enjoyable party track that allows Muhsinah and Darien Brockington to do the do. The result is a refreshing and energetic ode to love.

Bringing the album to a close, Phonte makes a sugary sweet lullaby to his son. In an uplifting fashion “Leave It All Behind” allows the two to ease out of the project on a positive and optimistic note.

As Nicolay takes you through the outro of the album, you get a sense that both Nicolay and Phonte sought to tackle new ground with their listeners. Though the sound and style of “Leave It All Behind” is different, the energy of the effort seems to remain that which you’ll find only these two can bring. With the ability to find its way onto a slow jam tape or simply a soothing playlist, “Leave It All Behind” is another amazing landmark brought to you by the amazing talent of The Foreign Exchange.

Buy the digital release of Leave It All Behind from Amazon | iTunes
Leave It All Behind will be released on CD October 14

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 9:09 pm and is filed under New Music, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Or, if you wish, you can find all the posts Honey