Floetry

It's hard to imagine two more talented hipsters than Floetry singer Marsha Ambrosius and emcee Natalie Stewart, a.k.a. the Songstress and Floacist. The U.K. duo's Floetic debut has it all--smooth R&B, soulful jazz, hip-hop, spoken word, supple ballads and a warmth that cradles the listener from beginning to end. In short, it's exquisitely, decidedly feminine. The pair occasional raise the roof with sizzling rhymes and beats, but they clearly place a premium on vibe, evident in Floetic's mostly chilled, after-dark feel. Jill Scott and Michael Jackson have already benefited from Floetry's deft songwriting; Jacko covered Floetry's "Butterflies" on his Invincible disc. A demo version of that song is included here, but that's the least of the bounty. "Hello" is pure honey with the women's silky voices braided in harmony while the dreamy, gently gurgling "Sunshine" is like a soundtrack to a daydream.