Audio Premiere: Joy Denalane x Bilal "Should Have Never" (Jake One Remix)

It has been a minute and a half since we've heard the soulful voice of Germany's Joy Denalane --in fact I think President Obama was still candidate Obama when she dropped "Change"--her last stateside joint with Lupe Fiasco. But if you have been patiently waiting for a follow up to her 2oo6 release Born & Raised, your wait is almost over cause her newest effort Maureen, is set to drop on April 3rd. The album title is taken from Joy's middle name, but Maureen goes a little deeper than that, as she explains:

I was christened ‘Joy Maureen Denalane'. Maureen was my father’s first true love, the woman who he originally wanted to marry but who he ended up leaving behind in South Africa. By giving me ‘Maureen’ as a middle name, my mother showed that she respected both him, her, and their relationship. She said, ‘I know about this woman, Maureen, and she has a place in our lives. Let’s name our first daughter after her.’

Maureen, the album, is every bit as complex, powerful and introspective as it's namesake; fully-grown with a dark bluesy edge and a forward momentum that's hard to capture in words. Audio, however, is worth a thousand adjectives. Without further pre-ramble, please finde below a heady dose of Joy in the form of this Bilal duet "Should Have Never," remixed by the redoubtable Jake One. That should give you an idea of what this thing is all about--and when you're on your feet again, we'll have more from this project. Stream/download below and stay tuned!