Sabi is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles California and was originally part of a Hip Hop girl group known as The Bangz. Soon, however, she'll be known for something else. She recently released her mixtape, 0 to 60: Love Sounds, and is subsequently letting the world know who she is as a solo artist, stating "I want listeners to walk away from hearing this EP and have a real conversation about love, 'real' meaning being honest about their fears and scars so that they can begin to heal. That has been my process this past year, and while I feel like my personal growth has been off the charts, there's still a ways to go. I just wanna share my experience." I love the fact that this 0-60 is focused on love in all of its permutations and combinations. While many artists strive to create music that centers around their feelings of romantic love towards another, she opts instead, to explore the theme of loving yourself and the life you lead in all of its importance. This motif is carried home again and again thanks namely, to her angelic voice--her gentle croonings communicating an honest outlook on love throughout the EP. The second track, “Cali Love” is a great way to kick off the compilation. It’s so upbeat and fun, truly embodying the California ethos and packing a punch thanks to the songstress' positive energy. By the end of it one indeed does feel the Cali love. The title track, “Love Sounds” brings out her sensual side. I envisioned her lying atop a Grand Piano in a sequin evening gown, perhaps, singing this song to a room filled with people lost in the haze of cigarette smoke. “Better than this”, the fourth track on the mix, has more of an old timey feel to it, soulful and reminiscent of Eryka Badu in “The way you Love me.” Further, it showcases her scatting skills, giving the listener another reason to believe in her talent. Especially enjoyable throughout, are the snippets of her radio interview on Power 106, which give the EP a more authentic feel. For example, when Sabi discussed feeling very strongly about the idea that you must become one whole person, who is content and full of love for yourself, and then unite with another whole person who is full of love for themselves in order to have a successful relationship, one is clued into the sentiments behind her music writing. “24k” is very unique in theory, but in practice it wasn’t quite as innovative as perhaps she was hoping for. The song starts out quite intriguing, and then plateaus; and unfortunately, I didn’t feel that the lyrics were quite as unique as the concept. Despite her originality as an artist, clear in her musicality, technical proficiency as well as her songwriting, one of my favorite tracks on the mix is her cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, which takes the song's original folksy underpinnings and gives it an R&B sheen. All in all, this album is the prescription for a broken heart, helping to heal old wounds. I appreciate the fact that even though the entire mix is about love, it is still remarkably dynamic. As opposed to the standard albums filled with love songs that are either so mushy that it makes you want to puke, or so depressing that it makes you want to slit your wrists, Sabi is able to capture so many different kinds of love, and the various emotions equated with them. If you need some babymaking music in your life, Listen to Sabi's title track, "Love Sounds", here: [facebook] [retweet]

MIXTAPE REVIEW"0 to 60: Love Sounds"