Album Reviews Q&A: Bilal

Act:Bilal

Album:Airtight's Revenge

Recommended by:Rob da Bank, Benji B, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles Funk & soul Show

Bilal Oliver's fine follow-up to his widely revered debut, 1st Born Second, has been some time coming. The Philadelphia neo-soul singer was launched into the spotlight on the back of his first collection, which emerged in the summer of 2001 and duly reaped a crop of fine reviews from both sides of the Atlantic. But despite the accolades, misfortune was soon to manifest: his 2006 album, Love for Sale, was denied release by Universal after leaking online, and remains commercially unavailable to this day.

Now free of a major label contract, Bilal has released Airtight's Revenge though Los Angeles-based indie Plug Research. It's a frequently stunning album, and a reminder that those comparisons to Prince, Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield made at the time of his debut weren't so very wide of the mark. The inventive musician kindly took the time to answer our Album Reviews Q&A.

Were you surprised that there was such a high amount of expectation for this new LP given the time that's passed since the debut? Do you think this had anything to do with how 1st Born Second didn't really fit any 'scene' as such, and as a result the music hasn't aged as it might've?

Could be that. I think Love for Sale had a lot to do with it. It feels like my fans genuinely want to see me succeed. I can't express what an amazing feeling of inspiration that gives me.

Tracks from the new album have appeared online, something that helped to derail the last one. Is this something you just have to take in your stride these days, or does it hurt your campaign, or even you personally?

I think the only tracks that have leaked are tracks we put out there... but I don't really know to be honest. I feel like the success of this record will be how it affects people rather than the amount of records I sell. I hope to sell a lot, but times are tough and people are hurting. I hope this record helps them as much as it did me.

The new album finds you working with an independent label, Plug Research, after previously releasing through Interscope/Universal. Did the problems with Love for Sale directly influence this move, or was it simply a case that you felt that you'd be more comfortable at a label where you have a lot more say in the daily promotion of your music?

I guess it was all of the above. Mostly, I wanted to make the music I am actually feeling. Not the music that label execs want. Plug allowed me the freedom to do me. It was as important to this process as a microphone.

Much of the new album is co-produced by yourself. Do you think it's important for artists to be involved in their releases at as many stages as possible?

I only want to do me. It was important for me to be involved in all of the aspects, to ensure that what I want portrayed is actually me. I encourage new and seasoned artists to simply do them.

You've participated in numerous collaborations, guesting on the records of other artists. Typically, does each of these encounters give you something to take away and use to influence your own material? Are there any past hook-ups that you can identify as being pivotal for certain tracks on this new LP, in terms of how it might've changed your creative headspace, or simply introduced you to new sonic possibilities?

Shafiq Husayn's contribution on this project really inspired and helped decide the final approaches to this album. However, I made this record exactly as I wanted to. I guess that's why I co-produced so many of the tracks. I walk away from each of these encounters with new perspectives and lessons. Most of them, great stories.

There's always been a jazz element to your music, reflected again in Airtight's Revenge. Do you think that artists such as yourself can do much to open new ears to jazz? Wide genre though it is, there can't be that many rap fans who dabble with someone like Robert Glasper, despite his numerous projects with MCs.

I think Robert has had a great impact on hip hop heads. Moreover, I feel like Robert reached a lot of straight jazz heads and brought them to hip hop. Not sure how I affect people along these lines. I hope people love jazz as much as I do.



Finally, what are your favourite albums of 2010 so far?

Don't have many albums on my radar. But I do have particular folks I really like in 2010. Flying Lotus, Little Dragon, Thom Yorke, Madlib, Daedelus, Exile. A lot of these folks I just met. Some I haven't met yet. Time has a way of working these things out.

Read the BBC review of Airtight's Revenge

Visit Bilal on MySpace

Read a selection of previous Album Reviews Q&A articles

Sleigh Bells

School of Seven Bells

Big Boi

Foals and Villagers