Alex Isley

I’m not sure if musical talent can be passed down genetically, but Alex Isley is a strong argument to the affirmative. Introduced to our pages by Los Angeles emcee Drekidd, the second-generation Isley family member introduces her smooth, soulful style to The DJBooth with new single Set in Stone. Over her own low-key boardwork, the singer mournfully addresses a man whose love for her didn’t turn out to be as strong as hers for him. For more, check out Alex Isley’s Love/Art Memoirs EP, out now for free download via Audiomack. - Richard (DJBooth.net)

I’m a little late on discovering this, but I’d be remiss to not share it with y’all. Two months back, Alex Isley (daughter of Ernie from The Isley Brothers), dropped her debut project, this self-written and produced EP, The Love/Art Memoirs. It’s not the same brand of soul you may expect from an Isley, but please believe Alex’s lush vocals over her own calming production is capable of spawning a generation of love babies much like “Between The Sheets” did. Stream/download the EP after the jump and judge for yourself. - Shamz (Okayplayer.com)

Alex Isley may receive extra attention because she is the niece of R&B legend, Ron Isley. However, in her latest single, “The Other Side” she proves with lush harmonies and a perfect tone that art lives in her heart and is not something she bought with her last name. The R&B newcomer will change the sound of R&B this year with the release of her upcoming EP, “DreamsInAnalog.” By opting out of hip-hop beats and raunchy lyrics, Alex Isley is bringing back the romance and harmonies that is missing in contemporary R&B radio. A year ago she released her debut EP, “The Love/Art Memoirs,” a modern R&B collection that was completely self-produced. The short and sweet record softly delivers an enchanting sound. With an ear for storytelling lyrics and a passion for art, Alex Isley will easily fit next to your Little Dragon or Sade records. - Radio Stevie

LA based singer Alex Isley is back with her highly anticipated follow-up to her 2011 debut ep Love/Art Memoirs and it does NOT disappoint. DreamsInAnalog will surely be a contender for many Best Of 2013 list. There’s so much maturity and growth here on this project all written and produced by Isley herself. (After all, that sort of thing runs in the family). Paris Strother of KING lends her keyboard playing talents on the opening track and it just keeps going uphill from there into the stratosphere. Light and airy at times to the point of just beautifully floating and then sonic cosmic bliss. Soulful r&b at it’s finest. Stream and download DreamsInAnalog below. - Duane Powell (KevinNottingham.com)

If you haven't taken notice of the talent that is Alex Isley since we named her Bounce-Worthy, then you've been sleeping hard. That's alright though, as Alex is meeting you halfway by giving you something to dream about with her new EP DREAMSINANALOG. On it, she taps into the atmospheric R&B sound that drew us into her previous effort The Love/Art Memoirs and expands it with echoes of classic soul and '90s R&B aesthetics that make this collection something to check for. The set is chock full of memorable cuts, from ethereal opener "So Here It Goes" (which features a little musical support from Paris Strother of KING) to relationship rumination "Child's Play," to the unexpected dose of chipmunk soul on "About Him" and the poetic lyrics of "More Than Gold." In fact, this EP is so good, you'll feel guilty that she's giving it away for free. So, if you've been sleeping, then consider this your wake up call. Stream the entire EP after the bounce and grab your free download here. - D-Money (SoulBounce.com)

When she dropped her single "On II You" back in October, Alex Isley teased that there was more where that came from, advising fans to "Stay tuned for more." Now, we finally get to reap the benefits of her hard work in the studio in the form of her new EP, The Beauty of Everything, Part 1, which dropped today.

The five-track project is filled to the brim with more of the dreamy sounds that we've come to know and love from the talented artist. The self-written and self-produced EP opens up with "Always 84," which sets the tone of what's to come: an abundance of layered, soothing sounds that will leave anybody within hearing distance wanting for more. The underlying boom-bap of "Smoke & Mirrors" is reminiscent of J Dilla's signature sound as she sings about a lover who isn't quite what he seems. Her ability to spot the jig is reiterated again on "On II You," which pops up again on the EP. Although Ms. Isley is saccharine-sweet on the outside, her intuition proves that she's perfectly capable of seeing through the BS.

Isley slows things down a bit on the hauntingly beautiful "Lifeboat," where she wonders aloud, "who can I save if not myself?" She paints a gorgeous picture of self-love and devotion backed simply by an acoustic guitar courtesy of Portuguese guitarist Maro. Alex closes things out with "When It Rains," a midtempo groove about looking beyond your current situation to see the bigger picture and remaining grateful of the lessons that come after the rain.

All-in-all The Beauty of Everything, Part 1 is a solid project that will tide us over as we patiently wait for a part two or her next full-length album. Clocking in at just over 22-minutes, TBOE delivers on the vibes while also giving listeners a lot to ponder. Take this EP for a spin and see if it doesn't soothe your soul. - Soul Bounce