José James just might be the male Sade. Like her, this soulful crooner uses his smokely seductive voice to effortlessly fold himself into the listener’s consciousness. But while this young, New York-based singer starts with jazzy soul as his root force—his haunting vocals recall everyone from Billie Holiday and Chet Baker to Bill Withers—he’s smart enough to know that his smoothness will stand out best when placed against edgier textures. For example, James’ recently released second album, Blackmagic, features its share of tinkling supper-club pianos, scat runs, brushed snares and stand-up bass, but there’s also production from the likes of groove iconoclast Flying Lotus (James also shines on a majestic remix by dubstep maverick Joy Orbison). On songs like “Made For Love,” lines like “love to touch your body” could come straight from an R. Kelly jam, but the asymmetrical boom bap surrounding James’ vocals takes the groove out of slow jam archetype into avant-garde bliss.

Most of all, however, the stark yet expressive backing sounds on Blackmagic showcases James’ sly skills: even when placed against samples or synthetic beats, his voice demonstrates the glory of human musical virtuosity. James’ mode is permanently set on simmer, never letting the ache resolve: the vibe is sexy but never overt, expertly deployed without breaking a sweat—the end result proves so unforced, it seems magic has to be involved, despite the pointed lack of smoke and mirrors. All in all, James seems to belong to another era, yet one that’s never existed in either past or future—in a word, he’s timeless.

Out now on Brownswood Recordings – get your copy at your local now or online here
Jose James album cover and riad style photo by Hassan Hajjaj