Sy Smith lands with her +FE Music debut Until We Meet Again. Six years ago Smith released Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete. The singer introduced UWMA with the tipsy vibes of “Slide” and its sensual love invitation. Smith sings about past romances, love lessons, unresolved breakups, appreciating beautiful souls, and remembrances of those who have passed (“Until We Meet Again”). Zo! and Tall Black Guy produced the album’s warm atmosphere of hip-hop components, and soul styles from the ’70s and ’80s. Percussion royalty Sheila E,  jazz and pop trumpeter Chris Botti, Tracey Lee, and Dontae Winslow have featured appearances in Smith’s latest audio diary. The songbird soothes and enchants with her tone from lower registered moments to the whistle notes in the philosophical “Remember How To Fly” and the Philly soul sample supported “Why Do You Keep Calling Me.” The new album has a dreamier sound than Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete which matches the brain fuzziness of emotional recollection. The singer explained in a press release,

“You ever pick up an old photo album that you haven’t seen in many years and look through it? And all the memories of each photo come flooding back as if those pictures were just taken yesterday? That’s what “Until We Meet Again” feels like. It’s a sonic reverie down memory lane – making stops at every single emotion that comes with reminiscing.” 

The title track finishes the album with a memorial for everyone the singer loves who has passed and she commands the listener to name those they have lost as well. The album moves like background music for running into an old dear friend that was missed. Smith is at her best on UWMA in complete control of her instrument and she has maintained all of the panache she has been known for since her Psykosoul debut. She will hit the road in March on a headlining tour in support of UWMA. 

Sy Smith is back with the cool elegance of her latest single “Slide” produced by Zo! and Tall Black Guy. Smith’s coy invitation is backed up with busy rhythms, bumbling bass, snazzy violins and piano. Five years ago, she released Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete. “Slide” is the first listen from her upcoming Until We Meet Again. Phonte is the executive producer of the album which will be her debut on  +FEMusic which is The Foreign Exchange’s record label. The music has guest appearances from Sheila E and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti. Until We Meet Again comes out December 1st.  

[youtube id=”0NHXSHvl4kU”] Zo! recorded Prince’s “Crazy You” with Sy Smith in 2009 for his Just Visiting Too EP of cover songs. The song is from Prince’s first album, For You and Zo!’s version is among six other covers offered as a free download. Zo! has released more than a dozen solo albums and EPs when he is not working as the musical director for The Foreign Exchange. Skybreak was released in the spring of 2016 and Zo! will tour the album in 2017.

Sy Smith and Ray Angry have gotten together and created a piece of Quiet Storm soul called “Let’s Get Lost.” Smith is appearing with Angry this weekend at the Iridium in New York.