I’ve completed a few round-up reviews based on soul music and rock music over the years, but I’ve never combined the two genres together in such a way. However, both styles seem to combine very well, so I decided to delve deeper into the soul-rock genre, aiming to find artists that have the best of both worlds. I think I was pretty successful with this goal – why not check out the full playlist at the bottom and see for yourselves?

Review by Jane Howkins

Photo by B-Mack

B-Mack – Silent Witness

B-Mack (the persona of musician Bruce Mack) kicks things off nicely with his track, Silent Witness. Interestingly, the tune starts off with some cool synth chords, before the instrumentation kicks in proper. It’s quite cymbal heavy, but the drum style works really well with the groovy guitar licks and bass guitar. B-Mack has a great deal of passion and strength within his vocals, showing a man who truly has soul! This is an artist not afraid to try something different, and it really pays off on Silent Witness, making for a worthy introduction to this review!

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(BR)OTHERS – (Brother)

Next up we have an incredibly funky song from (BR)OTHERS, also interestingly titled in a similar was as (Br)other. It’s actually the duo’s first ever single release, making it all the more impressive how good it sounds – it’s perfectly produced, featuring a groovy bassline that matches the beat well. The piano has a cool rhythmic sound too, with some other little background effects appearing on occasion. The chorus has a proper singalong vibe to it – it may sound fairly simple at first, but that’s all part of the magic, making for something you’ll be playing over and over again!

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The Savage Hearts – Gang War

Next up we have something a little different, cultivated by Irish group The Savage Hearts. What’s quite interesting about Gang War and its placement on this list is that it actually has more in common with the indie rock and garage rock scenes, although there’s still a great deal of soul in there. It’s effortlessly catchy yet still retains a heavy edge – the vocal harmonies and guitars sound really epic here. It’s another fast-paced tune, seeing the band introduce an old school organ at times, melding these genres together in fine style.

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Nicolaas Walle – The Irony Of Fate

On The Irony Of Fate, Nicolaas Walle teams up with Lisa Patscheider to create an awesome piece of music. You can clearly here the prog-rock influences in the tune, but the bluesy guitar melodies lend themselves well to the soul-rock movement, as well as the stunning vocal lines. It’s an effortless sounding track, simply oozing cool through. The guitarwork is pretty darn good too, occasionally rising up to cut the vocals off and perform a fitting solo. Lisa’s vocals are great and I can’t wait to hear another collaboration between these two artists!

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Chris Harris & Erin Newman – Goodbye Darling

The opening guitar lick to Chris Harris & Erin Newman’s collaborative track Goodbye Darling immediately grabs you, showing the raw talent this duo have. The rest of the instrumentation (including a lovely strummed acoustic guitar) follows the same chord sequence through the majority of the track, with Chris and Erin’s vocals used in an extraordinary way. Their voices are really interesting here, harmonising with each other at times, keeping your ears firmly set on this tun. This might just be my favourite track on this entire list!

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Zach McKenzie – The Day that I Found You

Arkansas singer-songwriter Zach McKenzie is another genre-bender, with The Day that I Found You having moments of country ,gospel and classic rock and roll, as well as the soul-rock movement. It’s an upbeat piece of work, both in terms of the lyrics and the sound of the song, Zach’s voice is tremendously powerful, but the backing vocals (which sound like a beautiful choir) really adds to this piece, echoing nicely in the background. The brass instrumentation adds a really triumphant vibe, matching the themes of the piece perfectly.

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Small Black Arrows – The British Museum

Small Black Arrows describe themselves as an experimental pop band, but I also felt their track, British Museum, fit this review too. It’s certainly catchy, but it’s also got an added touch of rock and roll attitude, changing constantly and keeping you on your toes. The guitarwork is really impressive here, building up a suitable atmosphere form the piece. The vocals are also pretty good, with a fantastic range that rises up to some awesome falsetto notes at times. I predict big things for Small Black Arrows in the future!

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Dread Fury – Underneath Your Mask

One man band Dread Fury is a singer-songwriter hailing from Essex, with Underneath Your Mask being one of the funkiest tunes in this whole review! It starts out with a fast drum beat and a ska-style guitar melody, played at a fast pace that will have you tapping your toes along instantly. The vocals are quite interesting too – they’re sweet and soulful, showing a great range. The backing vocals add a really cool tone into the mix too,- they’re subtle, yet work exceedingly well. Add in a nice guitar solo towards the end and you’re onto a real winner!

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San Reetam – Carry Me

San Reetam is a British music collective, producing groovy pop songs with elements of soul, rock and funk. Carry Me is a fantastic example of their sound, boding good things for their future within the music industry. It’s undeniably funky, featuring a prominent bassline, some nice piano flourishes and some awesome brass instrumentation. Both vocalists sound really accomplished here, and I promise you that this song will get stuck in your head after the first listen – this is another favourite from me!

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Retro – playlist by York Calling | Spotify