Elle Varner
Perfectly Imperfect

Designated heir to the warm vibes and sensual groove of old-school soul divas, modeled on Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray, and Mary J. Blige, or a follower of R&B mischief with a hint of flirtation with the pop kaleidoscope, belonging to the flirtatious Beyoncé and Alicia Keys? Elle Varner is probably a sort of compromise, a musical-stylistic "ratatouille" between tradition and modernity, between voice and body: born in 1989 (to which I happily belong), generous but not overly voluptuous forms, a timbre that—while not reaching the heights of her more established colleagues—can produce interesting vocals, Miss Varner could become the last bastion capable of protecting and saving the authentic black flavor—imbued with pure femininity—from the barbaric hordes of contamination and risky mixing, while simultaneously ensuring style, refinement, taste, and sensuality, perhaps winking at the radios and the dubious terrain of commerciality. "Perfectly Imperfect", Varner's debut released last year, is a small treasure trove where R&B-Soul pearls shine, occasionally veined with light funky-hip hop streaks and iridescent with a perennial retro candor; eleven tracks where the young scion of the anti-ghetto "enjoys" carnivalesquely mixing the new and the modern, dressing like Keys (notice the similar hairstyle on the cover), imitating the playful erotomaniac pantomime of Beyoncé, and powdering everything with the grace of the Divas off the catwalks.

There are multiple inspirations, recognitions, and tributes for the tracks in "Perfectly Imperfect", a musical basket where contrasts and opposites manage to crown their love dream. It begins with the hot soul-lounge debut of Only Wanna Give It To You and then moves without much hesitation to the curious Refill, an indissolubly hip-hop piece marked by a country groove. With Stop The Clock and Oh What A Night (the latter subtly synth), Varner takes small innocent steps towards club pop, making an immediate U-turn to the retro-esque Macy Gray atmosphere of Welcome Home and the very calm Damn Good Friends. Back to old-school soul with Not Tonight and I Don't Care—perfectly reminiscent of Keys' Songs in A Minor and The Diary Of Alicia Keys—then landing into the tasty and not too poppish funky-R&B of So Fly.

Although at times a bit raw and searching for a definitive stylistic and sound arrangement, "Perfectly Imperfect" is a commendable debut by a confident, delightful, and sensual girl who seems to have opted for the quality and actual value of her proposition, rejecting the now established sexual-media bombardments reserved for sexy panther girls and fake ghetto girls. We eagerly await the next step from dear Elle, the definitive demonstration of her real intentions about whether to fight in the fierce jungle of the wild striptease or not.

Elle Varner, "Perfectly Imperfect"

Only Wanna Give It To You - Refill - Sound Proof Room - I Don't Care - Not Tonight - Leaf - Oh What A Night - Stop The Clock - Welcome Home - Damn Good Friends - So Fly