Over the years, Stones Throw has provided us with some of the best music in hip-hop, from Dilla to Madlib. Freshman signee Mayer Hawthorne is one more reason why the label is still a viable source of classic music in today’s market.

Hawthorne’s debut, A Strange Arrangement, sounds more like something out of the doo-wop/soul era than the present, but it is for this, the ability to emulate the golden elements of artists like Smokey Robinson, that the album gives a warm and nostalgic feel that transcends time. From “Prelude” to “Green Eyed Love,” Hawthorne takes the listener on a journey through love that flows as smooth as your first kiss.

Hawthorne creates an atmosphere that makes you feel good about yourself while also making you want to move your feet, something music lovers young and old can appreciate. In a period when plight is all around us, A Strange Arrangement comes just in time to give us that feel-good music we need to get by.

Grade: B

A Strange Arrangement is currently available.