8/10

Over the last few years, we have watched as emerging talent James Vickery has grown from a smooth and seductive crooner on the peripheries of the commercial scene, to one of the most transformative and effortless artists working today. His unique and sultry brand of RnB has been morphed and experimented with in a limitless fashion over the last few months, resulting in a flurry of fresh and brilliantly distinctive cuts. And after an enormous amount of buzz landing at his feet of late, he unveils his long-awaited debut album 'Songs That Made Me Feel', a record that continues that broad and adventurous pursuit.

What has made James Vickery such an interesting talent throughout this year has been his ability to surprise us at every turn. Inviting the likes of Maths Times Joy and SG Lewis to produce a number of examples on this new LP has given his sound a firm and forward-thinking aesthetic that breaks the mould as often as possible. 'Songs That Made Me Feel' is not simply a number of smooth and shimmering RnB releases, but marks a crucial point in his career so far. One that looks to push the genre forward throughout and deliver one of his most prized collections to date.

He has this incredibly warm and uplifting voice that is just so malleable, it truly allows him to explore far more paths and directions than most. In all, 'Songs That Made Me Feel' is one of those wonderfully rare full-lengths that just comes across so laid-back in its style, it might as well be horizontal. Something that is just so easy to listen to and enjoy from start to finish.