Atlanta native Andre Henry may be a minister of sorts, but that doesn't mean that his music can't be secular. The self-confessed hopeless romantic now calls New York his home and is on a mission, it seems, to redefine the typical machismo definition of sexy. His version is more intellectual and much more heartfelt. You can hear it in Andre's love songs, which have an endearing boy-next-door quality to them that you can't help but smile at as you listen. The care and attention he pays to lyricism and arrangement is evident. Dubbing his sound "progressive soul," the intersection of his many influences, like Stevie Wonder and John Legend, is ever-present on his latest project, the six-track EP Insomnia, on which he collaborated with Soul Cycle (who have had their own mentions on this site). The EP, which has been out since July, has already garnered great reviews and after taking a brief listen, you can see why. His voice is full of a warmth that is only elevated by live instrumentation that Soul Cycle gives each and every track. Standout cuts like "Love Me or Leave Me Alone" and the jazzy, upbeat "It Must Be Hard (Bein' So Beautiful)" allow the soulful sound and feel of Andre's warm voice to come through loud and clear. Check both songs out below and a video of his a cappella version of "Tell Me About Your Day." Then hop on over to Andre's Bandcamp page, where you can purchase Insomnia in its entirety.
