“With the world still reeling over the recent losses of Prince and David Bowie, it’s easy to forget about the other late greats, their legacy of tunes still lingering quietly in our collective consciousness. Grace Kinter, an R&B and jazz artist out of Chicago, has given us a gorgeous re-imagining of Amy Winehouse’s work in her Cherophobia EP, expertly produced by Jackson Ray.
The EP opener, “Stronger Than Me”, launches into gorgeous vocal harmonies a la future-soul champions Hiatus Kaiyote, retaining the spirit of the original while Kinter’s soft vocals coo and stroke in harsh contrast to Winehouse’s raspy, wrecked vocal cords. Still, Kinter holds her own, her lower register revealing a smoky vibrato perfect for the style. Excellent guitar work and vocal harmonies provide a tight rhythm section to nod along with. The rest of the EP continues to impress with tight instrumentals, lovely synth work, and a crisp mix by Ray. You can find the producer’s other work here.”