Japan-born, New York-trained “progressive” soul singer NAO YOSHIOKA has been making music for just over ten years and we’ve featured her unique take on neo-soul within these hallowed pages many times.
Her latest single follows a similar neo-soul trajectory as her previous work but it’s actually another collaboration with BLU LAB BEATS, the acclaimed London-based new age soul/jazz music makers.
Nao first met the Beats in 2017 when she was invited as a guest artist for a Mamas Gun concert at the Jazz Cafe in London. Then in 2020 Blue Lab Beats released a remix of Nao’s song ‘Loyalty’. Two years later she laid down some tracks in the Blu Lab Beats studio and now the first fruit of those sessions wins release. It’s a laid-back, atmospheric tune, ‘Stuck Wit U’ . This one’s a proper chill out sound with ethereal piano and Ms Y’s ever expressive vocals. The cut is available via Sweet Soul Records.
