While the EP title, 000 100, might be somewhat abstract, Billie Black herself is far from perplexing. We were first introduced to Black's hushed R&B style via "I Don't Need Another Lover," and right off the bat she evoked the chilled calmness of Sade and the confessional intricacy of her fellow Londoner Jessie Ware. True, the latter part of that sentence could apply to just about every R&B newbie that's come out of the UK in recent memory, but Black's ascension over a bulk of those acts rests in her ability to carefully fuse '90s R&B with today's iced out, bass rich electronica, and when you add to that brew her rich and matured vocals you've got something pretty special.
She's only 19 years young, but she sounds as if she's been there, done that and is patching up her heart as we speak, as she recounts her love pains amid this engrossing four-track collection. Beginning with "I Don't Need Another Lover," the track shares space with the searching "Black and White" and its ghost-like bass licks while a distant piano guides "Do You Really," a soft shelled piece that has Black tip-toeing into a new relationship, expressing worry and eagerness along the way. Previous single, the morose "I Waited For You," is also present as it closes matters out.
Perfect for those twilight moments where you're just trying to cool down from the heat of the day, Billie Black's debut rumbles quietly but boldly, as she mixes the sultry with the bittersweet allowing you to slip so comfortably into her tranquil soul.
