Don't Call It A Comeback: 90s stars return to music...

you wait years and years for your favourite artists to return to the world of recording new music and gosh darn it, four of them all return at once. I couldn't be more thrilled. I've already written about Wilson Phillips (see here) so today I'm tackling the much awaited and thrillybots return of two 90s r'n'b faves that I absolutely adored. Read on and prepare to gag on the eleganza of it all :)

Karyn White ~ Sista Sista:

Then: What wasn't there to love about Karyn White? She fitted nicely into the genre I adored in the early 90s (that pop-r'n'b crossover sound made popular by Whitney, Mariah, Pebbles and of course Karyn) and had a wonderful library of scintillating dance tunes alongside devastatingly insightful ballads & tender love songs. She may be best known for her scorching performance on Superwoman which rightly propelled her up the charts around the globe. She had 3 albums, all of which were infused with her emotive and passionate vocal delivery. My top 5 Karyn White songs are as such...

• 5 ~ Can I Stay With You
• 4 ~ Romantic
• 3 ~ Walking The Dog (above)
• 2 ~ Superwoman
• 1 ~ Love Saw It (duet with Babyface)

Now: Sista Sista is the first single from Karyn's first album in 18 years entitled Carpe Diem. First off, how sickening does Karyn look? She literally hasn't aged a day and looks stunning. Just as important, the new single is an absolute dream - a mix of classic r'n'b with a contemporary sheen added to it. Yes, it eschews current trends but you get a more timeless sounding song because of it. It's a quiet storm ballad and Karyn's voice has lost none of the nuance or expression that made it such a vital instrument all those years ago. She sings with a wisdom and maturity as she pleads for unity against some philandering cad, looking for an opportunity to support what's right. It's not girl power, it's pulling together to heal & coming out stronger because of it. Gorgeous song, perfect delivery. Thank god she's back :) Carpe Diem indeed...

SWV ~ Co-sign:

Then: SWV were part of the early 90s resurgence of girl groups embracing what was dubbed 'new jill swing' (see also Jade, Expose, En Vogue, et al). With an emphasis on integrating their sumptuous harmonies with elements of traditional girl group, hip hop, pop and r'n'b, their eclectic fusion of sound soon had them darting up pop and dance charts across the world. They navigated their way through 3 studio albums, a remix album and *SCREAM* a Christmas album (YAY) in addition to numerous guest appearances on other artists tracks & soundtracks. While Right Here/Human Nature may be their most famous song, here is my SWV all time top 5...

• 5 ~ Christmas Ain't Christmas
• 4 ~ All Night Long
• 3 ~ You're The One
• 2 ~ Right Here/Human Nature
• 1 ~ Weak (above)

Now: The girls have reunited for their I Missed Us album (love that title) and have preceded it with this glorious track, called Co-sign. Over a percussive, shimmering groove that sparkles from the get go, the girls celebrate the glory of love with lyrical nods to their past, crystal clear vocals, delicious complementary harmonies all blend together to create a genuinely uplifting track. It's highly evident that the girls are having an amazing time being back together both vocally and in the lovely video that you can see above. If you're looking for something that makes you want to grab the one you love and shimmy, then this is the song for you. A delightful return. Heavenly...

Coming soon ~ MARTIKA!