DC's Opal Rose recently teamed up with Triple Threat to create a fantastic electro-RnB cover of the jazz classic "Strange Fruit" (on Brave New Breed). The two are developing a sound they're calling "Doom&B," and the track is an epic journey. A run through jungle drums launches the vocal to flight over the canopy of rainforest instruments and insects. I get the impression Opal has emerged from some ancient haunted psychadelic pyramid. And I love the ending, hinting at a space launch, easing the listener into oblivion. Look for more from Opal and her collaborators in the comming months. --Natan Press

Opal Rose’s release Universal Soul, shows an entire universe of sound. Nice beats and Opal Rose’s beautifully ranged voice create a trance-filled album. Reggae, jazz, latin, hip hop and R&B influences mix into an intoxicating concoction. The album is appropriately named, since it can bring together worlds of sound into a cohesive and alluring universe that I , for one, would love to live in. Opal will perform at Tree House Lounge on June 25th. --Hannah Brady