AOE's Homecoming Makes NPR's Best of 2017 List of R&B Albums

There's a lot to celebrate in the world of R&B this year — especially considering that the genre was on virtual life support from a mainstream standpoint just a few years ago. 2017 marked forward progress with SZA taking the lead and holding steady while Nick Hakim and Gabriel Garzon-Montano created music that demanded our attention. Here are five projects that didn't get enough shine this year but were exceptional nonetheless.

AOE, Homecoming

 

Def Jam Recordings

Ambassadors of Earth, or AOE for short, make music set in the year 2099. One half of the group, singer Phil Beaudreau, made NPR Music's best of 2014 list while the other half, producer Dawaun Parker, played the background behind the boards. They re-branded themselves as a duo in 2017, placing Dawuan at the helm which allowed the Grammy-winner to get his just due for the orchestration of this project.

Labeling their latest EP Homecoming an R&B project is a bit of a stretch, but at the core that's what it is. Phil and Dawaun assemble elements of hip-hop, rock, jazz and even classical music to create six climactic tracks that are nearly impossible to consume after just one listen. After all, both graduated from Berklee College of Music and molded themselves into masters of many sectors in the field. Their undeniable chemistry is best heard when Phil cruises over Dawaun's crisp cross sticks and keys on "Gone." Welcome home, fellas.