I called SV & Alyssa Jane’s 2024 album Neo Phily an ‘absolute gem’, so I was keen to run the rule over their latest release, Neo Blastic.

By Graeme Smith

The pair, both based in New England, USA, work wonderfully together, with Alyssa Jane taking on the vocals while SV steers the production. Alyssa Jane’s vocals show range, starting out soulful and breathy through early moments like So Fly and On My Mind before taking on some edgy hip-hop flows in the glitchy electronica infused One Who Wins and the sultry, empowering Clocked.

Likewise does the compositions, originally presented as classic RnB with a modern framing before getting more experimental as the album progresses. Nerves gives us a jazzy twist with rumbling double bass and flashing percussion. Daughter, a highlight, is brooding with moodiness.

The dark and confessional Discourse proves another highlight through its raw and captivating lyrics while Feel Like This ends the album with a gentle, ambient acoustic-electric mix.

Inspired by themes of growth and transformation, SV & Alyssa Jane composed the album to be listened to from start to finish. It feels like a record that evolves as it goes on, finding pockets of intent and wider cohesion. The interplay between the tracks is one of the joys of the album. They are each beautiful individually but become something more when considered collectively.

Subtle shifts stop things getting stale while avoiding becoming too jarring. It proves the perfect balance between the recognisably accessible and the interestingly esoteric. It reminds me of why I was such a fan of Neo Phily. At the same time, Neo Blastic builds SV & Alyssa Jane’s repertoire, giving us a fresh lens in which to view them.

In the past, the act has drawn comparisons with the likes of Erykah Badu, Hiatus Kaiyote, SAULT and The Roots. If I could throw my own in the mix – there were moments when they sounded like an RnB version of Crystal Castles.

No comparison is perfect and the only real thing to say is that the pair are forging their own path in the worlds of RnB and hip-hop. If you want to keep up to date with all SV & Alyssa Jane are doing, you can by do so by following them on Instagram pages here and here.

Neo Blastic is out now, with a limited-edition vinyl version available via Jim’s Pool Room Records’ Bandcamp page. You can stream it below.