Album Review: Joyo Velarde – Joyo Velarde EP (2009)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Potholes

If you are a Lyrics Born or Quannum Projects fan, chances are you already know songstress Joyo Velarde. The hip-hop/funk/soul vocalist, who hails from the Philippines, has put her stamp on numerous joints with her future hubby along with other acts on the widely-heralded, sometimes-experimental label. And before taking the stage herself with a solo LP currently scheduled to drop this year, she offers us a quick self-titled EP that falls flat, albeit not entirely.

Where Velarde and her team of producers deserve ample credit is in the effort displayed on here. There is no bubblegum-pop aimed at breaking into the Top 40. Instead, the vocalist and her crew, in true Quannum style, have taken a step back into the ’90s and even the ’80s. Instead of hi-hats and busy synthesizers, they laid out tight rhythm sections of jazzy drums and funky basslines blended with horns or keyboards. So it’s safe to say the production is, if nothing else, refreshing. And it’s especially satisfying when Velarde sounds at home over the beats and instruments, such as on the atmospheric and melodic EP-opener “Build This World”. The same goes for “Take You Home”, which borders on pop. But it features more of a fresh ’90s influence that offers a sunny and not superficial sound.

But where the former Opera-student falls short is in portions of her execution. Velarde has a strong set of pipes, there is no question there. Some of her key choices, though, are somewhat odd, particularly on “The Way We Are”. She sounds strained as she hits falsettos over the fine production from Lyrics Born and Jumbo, who laced the beat with horn stabs and an upbeat vibe. Even on other tracks when she sounds more comfortable, Velarde still struggles. Not vocally, per se, but in the sense that the songs are lukewarm, at best. Falling victim to that circumstance are the reggae-drenched bonus track “I Need You” and the toned-down “Feels Right”.

Even with this somewhat disappointing effort, there is still hope for Velarde’s upcoming debut LP, Love and Understanding. It’s set to feature even more strength behind the boards from the likes of Jake One and RJD2. And, with any luck, it will also contain improved and more refined songwriting.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 12:49 pm and is filed under Album 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.