Andrew Veeder on March 11th, 2015

0

Earlier this year, the Ugandan-bred and Los Angeles-based artist Angela Muhwezi released her first single, “New Age,” a two-minute gospel song about race relations, with the blistering opening, “Black is black, white is white / And you better not cross the color lines / If you dare they will bite / ’cause the honey’s real sour on the other side.” In February, Muhwezi upped the ante with the release of her debut EP, “Unscripted,” cultivated with the desire of wanting “people to feel something when they listen to it.” Its six tracks cover a diverse spectrum of influences, all produced by Nathan Kent and Marrque Nunley, and incorporate flavors of big band, hip-hop, rock, R&B and soul, with Muhwezi’s alto voice commanding each track with personality and versatility. The EP also highlights her songwriting, especially on “Love and Other Drugs,” which recounts an acquaintance’s descent into addiction, and her first single “I Need You More,” which is simply an excellent pop song about heartbreak. “I Still Love You” is also fantastic, beginning with “I hate the fact that I love you so much / And that I always seem to tremble at your touch,” and bringing to mind Des’ree with her cadence and candor.

||| Stream: “I Need You More,” “I Still Love You,” and “New Age”

||| Also: Check out the video for “I Need You More” below: