Nicole Bus understands a thing or two about nostalgia. This much was clear when she turned heads at the end of 2018 with the shimmering single “You,” her vocals soaring over a clever flip of Wu-Tang Clan’s classic “C.R.E.A.M.” Now, she’s following a similar formula on her Roc Nation debut KAIROS, unearthing such unmistakable classics and updating them with her own melodic spin.
KAIROS is a crate-digger’s paradise, in both the percussion and in the lush instrumentation. Shades of Kanye West’s “Heard ‘Em Say” waft through the frame on “Unchanging.” The racing drums from The Soul Searcher’s “Ashley’s Roadclip” — made famous by Rakim and Eric B. on “Paid in Full” — receive a colorful twist on “With You.” Her tremulous voice on “Rain” matches up perfectly with the faltering drum break on Al Green’s “I’m Glad Your Mine.”
Vocally, Nicole is gifted enough to retain center stage even as a buffet of timeless sounds parade by. It’s a glorious occasion when she ascends to the rafters of her register, cracking voice and all. The passion she pours into virtually every note is perhaps her strongest attribute; combined with her film noir-esque ear for grandeur, it creates a sophisticated atmosphere that’s hard to resist. If her vocal performance is what keeps the movie rolling, the note she hits near the conclusion of “Rain” is the undeniable climax, as piercing as a bolt of lightning cutting through the cloudy skies.
| 1 | Mr. Big Shot |
| 2 | Friend Indeed |
| 3 | 411 |
| 4 | Unchanging |
| 5 | Comfort Me |
| 6 | You |
| 7 | Love It |
| 8 | Rain |
| 9 | With You |
| 10 | S.O.S |
| 11 | Stand Next To Me |
| 12 | Look Up To The Sky |
