Bilal is one of those artists that soul afficianados either love or hate. His second ‘released’ studio album entitled Airtight’s Revenge is a continued exploration of his unique production style and vocal gyrations.
A jazz vocalist before his studio album days, Bilal is a continuation of the collective known as the Soulquarians that dominated the neo-soul scene back in the late 90s and early 2000s including D’Angelo, James Poyser, Questlove of The Roots, and the late J Dilla. Working with the likes of Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, and more, Bilal managed to put out a soul classic of an album back in 2001 entitled 1st Born Second. Launched into mainstream success behind the single “Soul Sista” featured on the Love and Basketball soundtrack, Bilal established a dedicated fanbase.
Upon working on his second effort entitled Love For Sale, Bilal ran into label trouble and bootlegging leading to it not being officially released. The underground success of the album managed to satisfy his die hard fans and create the buzz needed for him to continue though. This fueled a whirlwind of collaborations spanning almost 9 years with the likes of Erykah Badu, Tweet, Beyonce, Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Little Brother, and Solange.
Taking 3 years to craft, Airtight’s Revenge is his rebirth of soul. Bilal’s jazz vocal influence is definitely what tattoo’s this effort more than anything. His voice has such range and the capacity to sound so different from song to song that he is able to emote virtually anything given the topic of the song. Of course, being a brilliant songwriter helps this as well.
The track “Little One” is a clear example of his signature style. An emotional dedication to his autistic child, this track (produced by Conley “Tone” Whitfield) is highlighted by a haunting piano riff and his unmistakable falsetto to carry a beautiful composition that is ever so touching.
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