If you’re into blue-eyed soul, 2015 looks to be a pretty good year. Folks rightfully awaiting Tuxedo’s self-titled joint on March 3 might want to keep their ears open to something else-The Jack Moves. While the work of Jake One and Mayer Hawthorne as Tuxedo is not to be taken lightly, the Newark duo of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Zee Desmondes and drummer/producer Teddy Powell as JM are no less impressive on their new video single for “Doublin’ Down.” Filmed on location in Newark, the video “intertwines the stories of broken individuals struggling to make their way in Newark’s criminal underground ruled by pornographers, voodoo priests, and cheap hoods,” according to director Pete Stempen. Note to self: time to get a new fur-lined pimp robe as seen around the 2:07mark.
While Tuxedo thus far has focused predominantly on the exuberant side of soul, on “Doublin’ Down,” the Jack Moves go for the more sultry side of the equation. Coos and falsettos drive the track. This one is more appropriate for the bedroom than it is the dance floor. Horns, a rubbery bass line and strings over hip-hop ready percussion perfectly pair old and new skool sensibilities just right. You know what’s wrong with that? Not a damn thing. Expect their full-length to drop later this year. That’s the audio equivalent of $240 worth of pudding right there. Aww, yeah, baby.
