Considering the increasing foray into dance music by the likes of
Black Eyed Peas
and
Usher
, it can be easy to forget that R&B hasn't always been dominated by electro beats, Auto-Tuned vocals and layers of synths. Indeed, the late-'80s and early-'90s urban scene was ruled by funky basslines, hip-hop rhythms, and soulful harmonies in a subgenre also known as New Jack Swing. An already successful compilation series,
Pure Swing
compiles the best tracks from its five '90s albums to produce a retrospective of the music that introduced the world to
En Vogue
,
Mary J. Blige
, and
Boyz II Men
, to name a few. As the producer credited for creating its unique sound, it's inevitable that
has
Teddy Riley'
s stamp written all over it, not only as an artist as part of
Guy
Blackstreet
, and his duet with
Tammy Lucas
, but also as a producer on tracks from
Wreckx-N-Effect
Heavy D and the Boyz
Bobby Brown
. However, aside from the
Tupac
-sampling
"Don't Leave Me,"
his contributions are by no means the standouts. From Disc One,
Adina Howard'
s feisty
"Freak Like Me,"
Montell Jordan'
s huge party anthem
"This Is How We Do It,"
Shanice'
s gloriously uplifting
"I Love Your Smile"
provide the highlights, as do
Sounds of Blackness'
gospel-inspired
"I'm Going All the Way,"
Pebbles'
infectious
"Girlfriend,"
Brandy'
s sultry slow jam
"I Wanna Be Down,"
from the second disc. The third disc selections fopcus on the likes of
Johnny Gill
Aaron Hall
Tevin Campbell
, who may be less familiar to U.K. audiences, but these inclusions certainly don't lessen the album's quality, with
Jodeci'
s raunchy
"Freek'n You,"
Soul for Real'
s
Jackson 5
-inspired
"Candy Rain,"
Shai'
"If I Ever Fall in Love"
(later a hit for
Gabrielle
East 17
) among the hidden gems. However, despite featuring 52 tracks, there are several notable omissions.
R. Kelly
, arguably the genre's most successful star, is only represented by his production of
Changing Faces'
"Stroke You Up,"
while
TLC
Aaliyah
Janet Jackson
, responsible for some of the era's biggest hits, are also ignored.
isn't as comprehensive or as hit-laden as similar recently released Essential '90s R&B anthems, but featuring both iconic tracks and lesser-known U.S. hits, it still provides an intriguing and exciting introduction to a classic and under-rated genre. ~ Jon O'Brien