Jonn Hart, ‘Heart 2 Heart’ – Mixtape Review

After getting French Montana on the 'Who Booty' remix, R&B newcomer Jonn Hart is getting his buzz up with his 'Heart 2 Heart' mixtape. The Bay area singer puts together an 11-track project that hits just about every type of current R&B record: party songs, a couple of sex odes, a track about a relationship gone awry and one centered on new love. Hart seems to hit every box on the R&B checklist, yet, there's still something missing.

Even with sticking to a formula that "works," 'Heart 2 Heart' is just alright. Hart comes off as a solid R&B singer but lacks that added edge that will move him past his peers -- at least right now. Going with a smooth, seductive sound for most of the project, Hart is trying to forge his own lane in the "baby-making music" side of R&B, but Trey Songz shouldn't be worried.

Hart leaves a lot to be desired on this tape, from his song structuring to his vocals. Can he put together a ballad or that breakthrough signature song? This tape doesn't quite give an answer to that question.

If you want a couple new records to put in your iPod's 'On the Go' playlist, look no further than 'Bad.' If you're one of those "bad" females with the strut to match, this record is for you. Opening the song up with, "My chick drop dead gorgeous / She wet, leaking faucet / Portrait, picture perfect / And she do what she wants because she knows she's bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad / My chick perfect," lets the ladies know from the jump that this record is solely for them.

On the Aaliyah-sampled 'Alone' -- he uses the chanteuse's 'I Don't Wanna' -- provides a different take on the original in trying to shake the feelings of a former love. This is one of those songs that you'd play right after a break-up when you're trying to make sense of it all, but trying to move on in the process. "Oh, girl think 'bout what you're doing / Why you acting so proud? / Why you trying to prove s--- / Front, back, you know how we do it / I know you remember that." Hart's attempt at trying to get the young lady to put her pride aside so they reconcile is a running theme in a lot of male R&B records. The singer does a good of presenting himself here.

All in all, its not quite clear if Hart will be around on the R&B scene in the next few years. This project is an OK start, but he might have to go back to the drawing board and work on the fundamentals for the album.

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Listen to Jonn Hart's 'Heart 2 Heart' Mixtape