The music of the Brooklyn artist Andres Javier – who uses the moniker ‘Huella’ – doesn’t fit into a particular genre, and in many respects is genre-less.
His four-track urban vibe-heavy E.P., Reckless, is a testament to this fact incorporating and mixing pop, hip hop, rock, reggae, and soul – all within a little over 15 minutes.
It also speaks to his talents as an artist who is not trying to appeal to a particular audience but instead to be true to his work.
The track, “Trouble,” is an upbeat jazzy pop track with elements of jazz and soul. In fact, it’s the kind of track you might hear flowing out into the streets along Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Creative and intricate.
Notable musicians who contributed to the project include bassist Rodney Skeet Curtis (Parliament, Funkadelic); trombonist Reggie Watkins (The Temptations, Jason Mraz); keyboardist Jacob Bergson (Jojo Mayer, Nerve); and soul singer Ada Dyer.
Reckless was mixed by seven-time Grammy Award-winning engineer Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer), and mastered by another Grammy winner, Joe LaPorta who has worked with the late David Bowie, among other big artists.
“The musicians performed with passion and heart, the engineers brought their A-games, and the final product is better than anything I could have imagined,” Javier says.
Songs like the pop melodies of “The Function” and the more mellow, horn-booming reggae/R&B of “Trouble” in addition to the timely “New York City” theme and the powerful Motown-inspired soul of “Show Me” make the E.P. one of our favorites in the DIY realm so far this miserable year.
RIYL The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, and Ed Sheeran.