Ruby Gaines – Heavy Good

Glaswegian soul singer Ruby Gaines breathes new life into contemporary R’n’B with each track on her debut EP Heavy Good. Opener Woo walks with a contagious swagger akin to the soundscape of St Vincent’s 2021 Daddy’s Home, hinged on a series of masterful neo-soul vocal riffs which intertwine to exemplify Gaines’ enviable prowess. On the following track, lead single How It Looks, it’s clear to see why. Gaines boasts an Earth-shattering vibrato as she belts out her frustration with an immature lover ('He didn’t let me speak / I know he’s petulant'), the soft, syncopated melody and undulating synth of the bridge making for the perfect prelude to a triumphant final chorus.

The penultimate Holier Than Cows runs miles deeper than its tongue-in-cheek title. Ghostly backing vocals, reggae-inspired guitar and intermittent Morse code beeps soundtrack Gaines’ greatest fears including becoming her parents or 'anything that came before them'. The EP closes with Heavy, a number which begins and ends with a palpable sense of intimacy and vulnerability à la Billie Holiday’s P.S. I Love You. Sandwiched in the middle is a funk-tastic hook characterised by a primal chant, proving that Gaines ain’t no one-trick pony.

Listen to: Woo, Holier Than Cows, Heavy