Artist:     Deva Mahal

Album:     Run Deep

Label:     Motema Music

Release Date:     3.23.18  

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The last name should ring a bell. Deva Mahal just happens to be the daughter of blues legend Taj Mahal, and her debut album, Run Deep, is nothing less than a modern soul masterpiece. Introducing the ghosts of the past into a contemporary sprawl of gospel, R&B, rock and pop, the younger Mahal’s rich, expansive songwriting yields an engrossing, spiritual listening experience that rises above the everyday.

Inheriting not only her father’s worldly musicality, but also his defiance and toughness, Deva handles matters of the heart with expressive lyrics dealing openly with pain and loss. She thinks of each song as a letter. Let’s hope she keeps up with this kind of correspondence. “Snakes” is the atmospheric heart and soul of Run Deep, stomping and clapping and carrying thundering piano to a crescendo steeped in slave tradition. It’s a warning Deva gives herself to stay away from danger that’s wrapped up in the same kind of high-stepping, infectious R&B that also drives the more pop-oriented title track and the irresistible rock grooves of “Optimist.”

At the same time, Deva wrestles with her own internal enemies in the slow-moving, reflective “Fire,” where her sensuous and powerful voice is picked up off the ground by waves of brooding backing vocals. “Shards” is just as captivating, building into a sweeping, emotional epic of heartbreak and an attempt at healing, while “Wicked” takes a wonderfully strange turn into streaming electro-pop and the hopeful Carole King cover “Take a Giant Step” ends Run Deep on a high note.

Deva Mahal’s singing will give you goosebumps. It’s intoxicating and beautifully sculpted, matching the seductive melodic contours it rolls over. Mournful and soothing, and liberated and dynamic, it is worth the price of admission alone. Pair it with music so fully realized it’s hard to believe this is her first LP, and Deva Mahal has stepped out of her dad’s shadow with the bold confidence of a star.

—Peter Lindblad