Ideas and Inspiration: Ray Ray by Raphael Saadiq

I started working on a soul/r&b project this week and it needs to have a classic vibe to it. So I turned to one of my favorite artists who's a master at blending classic soul and contemporary style, Raphael Saadiq. His album Ray Ray is one of my favorites. I really dig the drum programming, string arrangements and the way the bass and rhythm guitars are recorded here. I'll be studying the record pretty hard for ideas and inspiration over the next few days.