The debut full-length album from
Marian Hill, 2016's
Act One, deftly showcases the Philadelphia duo's somewhat arty, stripped-down R&B. Featuring the talents of producer Jeremy Lloyd and vocalist Samantha Gongol,
Marian Hill also benefits from the contributions of jazz saxophonist
Steve Davit, who appears throughout. Centered on Gongol's lithe, if slight vocals, the duo make a minimalist brand of pop R&B built around robotic beats, chilly synth hits, and
Davit's cubist post-bop sax lines that often sound as if they've been sampled and spliced into the mix. At best, one gets the sense that
Marian Hill are aiming for an aesthetic somewhere along the lines of
Beyoncé making an album with '80s electronic outfit
Art of Noise. Occasionally they come close, and cuts like "Talk to Me" and "Take Your Time" have a fresh, kinetic energy that captures the band's art-school inclinations and catchy hooks. Elsewhere, tracks like "Down" and "Bout You" have a sultry warmth that sounds like a '90s
Brandy track remixed down to its barest essential elements. Admittedly, as conceptually interesting as
Marian Hill can be, their particular brand of electronic soul can sometimes feel awkward and square. The main crux is that Gongol, while technically a fine singer, lacks the believable swagger, warmth, and organic, swinging phrasing of singers like
Beyoncé or even
Sade, whose moody, emotionally bare style is an obvious touchstone for the band. For some listeners,
Marian Hill's cool, at-arms-length earnestness will come off as wry, art-school juxtaposition. For others, it may just sound like bland reappropriation. ~ Matt Collar