Psychedelic soul

Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock) is a form of soul music which emerged in the United States in the late 1960s. The style saw African-American soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrumentation, effects units such as wah-wah and phasing, and drug influences.

History

Origins

thumb|upright|[[The Chambers Brothers in 1970|left]]

Following the lead of Jimi Hendrix as he moved from soul to psychedelic rock, the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s began to have a widespread impact on African-American musicians, particularly the stars of the Motown label. Influenced by the civil rights movement, this style had a darker and more political edge than much contemporary psychedelic rock.

Relationship with Afrofuturism

Afrofuturism is an artistic movement that envisions creative black futures where black people are thriving leaders often involving science fiction and fantasy. Psychedelic soul arose in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval allowed black people to think about futures different from the ones that already existed. Afrofuturism was embedded in some of the earliest examples of psychedelic soul, particularly in George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic. Clinton's alter ego was named Star-Child and the band was known for its outer space imagery, both in the music and on stage. Contemporary artists like Janelle Monáe carry on the legacy of Afrofuturism in psychedelic soul with albums like Dirty Computer, which adds themes of gender and sexuality to the genre’s original themes of race, technology, and identity.

Development

Other Motown acts soon followed into psychedelic territory, including the Supremes with "Reflections" (1967), "Love Child" (1968), and "Stoned Love" (1970). Acts that broke through with psychedelic soul included the Chambers Brothers with "Time Has Come Today" (1966, but charting in 1968), the 5th Dimension with a cover of Laura Nyro's "Stoned Soul Picnic" (1968), Edwin Starr with "War" (1970), and the Undisputed Truth with "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971). leading to three US top ten singles, and three platinum albums. Shuggie Otis' 1974 album Inspiration Information emerged too late to take advantage of the style's peak of popularity, but later found acclaim when it was reissued in 2001.

Decline and influence

While psychedelic rock began to waver at the end of the 1960s, psychedelic soul's popularity continued into the 1970s and declined only towards the end of the decade. Artists which began in psychedelic soul such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, and the Ohio Players incorporated its sounds into funk and disco.

Modern artists

Nicknamed the Queen of Neo Soul, Erykah Badu is influenced by R&B, soul, and hip-hop genres. She won BET’s Video of the Year award in 2003 and the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 1998, among many others, and she remains a notable soul influence for many musicians today.

Bilal Sayeed Oliver rose to fame with his popular R&B single “Soul Sista” and attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City . Led by

Eric Burton, the Black Pumas are an American psychedelic soul band and have been nominated seven times for a Grammy Award .

Janelle Monáe Robinson is well known for her futuristic approach to R&B and soul music, drawing on Afrofuturism and funk influences throughout her work. She has received multiple Grammy Award nominations, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Album of the Year as a featured artist, and Best Urban/Alternative Performance, just to name a few .

Adrian Younge is an American composer and producer known for his soul sound infused with jazz and hip-hop. He has collaborated with artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He is the founder of the record label Linear Labs and continues to shape modern soul through his innovative production style .

Kali Uchis is well known for her blend of soul, R&B, and Latin pop. She first gained attention with her breakout EP Por Vida and her collaborations with artists like Tyler the Creator. She has won a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording, earned multiple chart-topping songs in both English and Spanish, and is recognized today as a global pop-soul musician .