Ren

Milwaukee native Ren began his foray into music as a child. He recalls singing Earth, Wind &
Fire's "Reasons" during a family gathering and how everyone was amazed by the soulful sound
coming from a little boy's mouth. Well, the child has grown up to create a self-titled solo album,
and it's obvious he still has the pipes.
Ren's voice is a mellow tenor that reminds one of crooners like Shalamar's Howard Hewitt or
Donny Hathaway. He has obviously listened to the singers and songwriters of R&B from the
past 20-30 years.
The opening track, "Breathe Again," solidifies him as a force to be reckoned with in modern
soul music. "Breathe Again" is a groovy, laid-back number with a catchy hook, unified by Ren's
smooth vocals and that of his background singers. Other tracks, including "Ooh Wee" and
"Come Around My Way," fly high as throwbacks to 1970's jams with a 21st century urban
backbeat.
The Ren sound is a mix of classic R&B attached to jiggy beats, which is very similar to othe
r recent neo-soul artists like Maxwell. All and all, Ren's self-titled debut is a great attempt at
creating a sound that's more unique than what's usually spun on the radio. It will be interesting
to see the roads Ren takes on his musical journey.