How I Do
A musical sorority sister ofAlicia KeysandAngie Stone--though she'd doubtless bristle at the suggestion--Philly-reared soul singer Res nevertheless manages to strike a convincing balance between the street and the studio onHow I Do, juxtaposing saucy, melodic pop with more ragged funk and R&B.; That kind of crossover is impressive, but Res (pronounced Reese) uses her elastic and surprisingly vibrato-free voice to poke around in various corners, even taking tentative steps toward rhyme. Co-conspirator and producer Martin "Doc" McKinney's thumbprints are evident in the smooth flow of beats and gurgling ambient washes, though unlike his previous work with Toronto trip-hop unitEsthero, McKinney's sonic high jinks are opposite a voice with the muscle to stay in the spotlight. At once smoochy and sassy,How I Dogoes a long way toward establishing Res as a powerful new voice on the pop and urban scenes.--Kim Hughes