Listen. If you need theme music the next time you’re tapping into your inner Casanova, go with Floetry’s tune “Say Yes.” Seriously, since I snagged a copy of Floacism “Live,” I’ve become the slickest boogie mack in North Oakland.
Okay, in reality I’ve never used Floetry’s ultrasmooth neo-soul for nefarious purposes. But I think you could; in fact, I’d encourage it.
Live has me a lot more amped than the group’s 2002 debut smash Floetic, mostly because Natalie “the Floacist” Stewart and Marsha “the Songstress” Ambrosius pound a lot harder in front of their chirruping fans than in a recording studio. Granted, I was one of the only music writers in the world not thrilled by Floetic, mostly because the title track sampled my favorite Smif n’ Wessun beat and made it sound protein-deficient. Thankfully, “Floetic” sounds funkier live; same goes for their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Butterflies.” MJ covers are always risky — after all, he’s the standard-bearer for freaky-deaky — but Floetry doesn’t muck it up too bad.
Then, of course, there’s “Say Yes,” the slow jam in which the Floetry gals wear their sexuality like a mink coat. Remember two years ago when all the neo-soul heads were grooving to India.arie’s “Simple”? Exactly. “Say Yes” exudes the kind of schmaltz that’s made more delicious given the likelihood that most of Floetry’s fans have painted toenails.
All in all, Floetry is worth checking out. They’ve got the girl power thing going on. They’ve got sultry British accents. And had “Say Yes” been around ten years ago, I probably could’ve seduced my first pimple-faced crush without resorting to Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk?” Then again, maybe there are some things Floetry shouldn’t be held accountable for.
