TESTIMONY:VOL. 1,LIF

India.Arie hails from Atlanta, Georgia, but her smooth neo-soul owes more to the traditions of Philly Soul and Detroit's Motown of yore than the Dirty South rap that dominated her native city in the 2000s. Still, the remarkable thing about Arie is how she deftly marries old school R&B to an urban contemporary sound (one that is greatly informed by the beats and production of hip-hop). 2006's TESTIMONY: VOL. 1 LIFE & RELATIONSHIPS, the singer-songwriter's third album, continues to perfect Arie's unique blend of styles. Smooth and accessible, yet marked by supremely well-crafted songs, TESTIMONY shifts gears effortlessly, moving from breezy tropical tunes ("Good Mourning") to Lauren Hill-styled hip-hop ("I Am Not My Hair"), hitting all points in between. With just the right balance of old school and new, acoustic and electric, and consciousness themes with party jams, TESTIMONY is an important notch in the rising career of this talented entertainer.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 12/10/2013