Aaliyah mashups that blend new and old R&B

Lately, I have been on a 2000’s R&B music kick. I have a playlist with some classic Usher, Destiny’s Child, Ginuwine, and so much more. There is something about that era of R&B that is so special to me. The instrumentals have so much character: shimmering synths, bouncy drum programming, and catchy melodies that are still emulated today. The blend of the punchiness of Hip-hop and electronic music with the smoothness of soul and blues really started to develop in the 00’s era of R&B.

A few weeks ago I was browsing through YouTube a to find some remixes of Aaliyah songs over new R&B song instrumentals. I thought I would share a couple of my favorites:

Aaliyah x SZA – Come Over/The Weekend

My favorite part of this remix is how well the two instrumentals blend together. If you did not know either song, you would think this is real for how well the two complement each other, instrumentally and vocally. The groove of the beat is so fluid complemented by the sweet voices of Aaliyah and SZA. I love the sparse bassline from “The Weekend” alongside the percussion from “Come Over.” Together, these anthems have a sound that you cannot pinpoint an era to. It is timeless sound and example of great R&B, together and separate.

Aaliyah x dvsn – Rock The Boat/Too Deep

This is another example of two songs that seem meant for each other. Though the suggestive natures of these songs are different in their lyrical approach, their styles and deliveries work so well together. “Too Deep” interpolates its bassline from Ginuwine’s “So Anxious,” and its bulky groove flows well under the original track as well as this mashup. Aaliyah’s intimate delivery over the watery synths and steadily heavy-hitting drums is really like the best of both worlds.

So tell me, what music are you listening to right now, and what makes it special to you? Let me know!