Posted on 05/15/2009
It’s very difficult to make a mark on the R&B scene today without presenting a diva-like image or resorting to creating an alter-ego. The whole “genuine artist” shtick can be a hard task to pull off without presenting oneself as condescending or pretentious. Simply put, it’s just hard to be yourself without some sort of marketing appeal. Silky-voiced songstress, Ayah, comes with an honest release, with most songs generally written at 4:15 am; thus the title 4:15.

Rather than a complete album, it seems to have a mixtape-ish appeal. It feels as if she really did just gather a collection of songs and create an album out of them. There is no overall theme besides the fact that most songs are written during that time period; however, this doesn’t take away from the fact that they are well executed songs. “Fallen” could definitely be a great single for Ayah. The horn loop and the drum patterns definitely draw you in as she expresses her feelings. “Who We Are,” a song about her sense of confusion in a relationship, is simply hypnotic, with a pulsating beat that again grabs your attention from the beginning as her soothing vocals weave in and out.

Because the album is so short (8 songs and 1 skit) and seems to have a lack of direction, it leaves more to be desired. Perhaps my expectations would’ve changed if it were presented as an EP instead of an album. Despite this mis-step, Ayah definitely executed her songs very well. You can easily tell that she is very talented, she just needs a longer release to fully show it.

- James Smith