The appeal for fans of Solange is quite clear here, but to my ears, so is the east-coast flow. Something about the setup and response from the verse melody, and the syllable endings, and the low-register trill, feels like pure NYC street-funk. And it is just that - Liberty Styles is a 25-year-old tap dancer, vocalist, and producer based in Brooklyn.

In a tradition that birthed many movements before her, Styles is bringing a fresh authenticity from street and stage to the airwaves, combining vocal elements of improvisation with her unique and rhythmic soul. Her focus is on the interaction between music and dance, through the uniquely urban lens of New York City, and the underground scene that she thrives in.

Wednesday, the latest drop from Liberty Styles’ new EP Flipside, is a secret window into the NYC dance community, and illustrates perfectly the sense of solidarity that exists between the sibling arts of dance, music, and vocal performance.

From the Artist

I am a 25-year-old tap dancer, vocalist, and producer based in Brooklyn. I grew up in rural Massachusetts and upon moving to NYC, have had the privilege of an incredible tap dance community and a mentorship with the great Derick Grant. In this debut album I sought to capture that spirit of live improvisation and lo-fi underground jazz, which is why many parts and elements of the songs on this album are improvised. I'm interested in how tap dance can grow as an element of recorded jazz and recorded sound in general -- and this album represents a step in that direction.

This song is featured on our Groovy Summer playlist.