My Mother ensured I knew that should I ever incur a debt, It should always be repayed. Well Mr Abasi's family have obviously brought him up with similar values because when R'n'B artist Kelela needed a guitarist for a track on her latest album, she turned to Tosin. She had worked with him previously on 2012's T.R.A.M album "Lingua Franca" and so she called the favour in. Good for her.
It's sweet and soporific, if a little mournfully melancholic for my personal taste. However, the girl has a delightfully warm tone to her voice, even if she doesn't push hard at the boundaries of what is expected from R'n'B with her delivery. Ultimately, her passion is undeniable.
One thing I would criticise though is that if you are going to have Tosin Abasi play on your album, at least get him to play on a track where his unique skills can take prominence and perhaps give your track a sense of power and invention that he, ubiquitously, can provide. As it stands, his part is minimalist in extremis, beautifully played, but I imagine if Tosin ever fell asleep holding a guitar he'd shred something more complex.
Feel free to check out the varied collaborations between these talented artists below.
Kelela: Facebook // Twitter // Soundcloud
