October London

October London is an old-soul singer and songwriter whose smooth, heartfelt vocals recall R&B giants of the past like Sam Cooke and especially Marvin Gaye. London, a native of South Bend, Indiana, arrived in July 2016 with a featured role on “Revolution,” the triumphant finale of Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid. Later that month, London made his proper solo debut with “Black Man in America,” a bluesy retro-soul single filled with anguish, through veteran producer Jazze Pha’s Cadillac Music label. The song’s parent release, an EP titled Color Blind: Love, arrived three months later and featured a duet with Faith Evans. “KDB (Kisses Down Below),” a contemporary club track recorded with BCANIC, was out by year’s end. London’s output through only the first half of 2017 included second EP Color Blind: Hate & Happiness, an appearance on Snoop’s Neva Left, and the understated full-length Not Your Average Album. ~ Andy Kellman