Class Reject by Jade Harrell

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

This bundle of precocious talent from Jacksonville, Florida has been singing since age five and now that Revolution Art, the imprint owned by hip-hop pioneers Grits have signed her we can expect big things from the 20 year old. Jade certainly has a delightfully flexible and soulful voice. On the catchy "Who You Are" she swaps licks with Ayiesha Woods, on the drivingly funky "The Unseen" she emits the same kind of knowing sass we heard when Kierra 'Kiki' Sheard burst onto the gospel scene, while on "Rain" her comforting vocal is interspersed with ragamuffin interjections from Stefan The Scientist. Sometimes the producers rather overdo the vocoder, like on the dance grooved "Me And My Radio" but generally wherever one looks on this 13-song debut you'll find music which covers a wide range of bases, from the old school "Don't Leave" (which with its on-the-fours groove you could imagine whipping up a storm on a Northern soul all-nighter) through to "Broken" where she "exorcises her inner demons" (according to the press release) over a ricocheting ambient electronic groove. A hugely impressive debut.