Futuristic soul-that is how Portland-based electro hip-hop, singer-producer Natasha Kmeto describes her sound and I agree; her sound is definitely from another time that we have yet to experience. Good thing Kmeto is bringing her music to us now in the form of her debut album, Expressor. The album is an eclectic mix of electronica, hip-hop, R&B, and soul and the layers of Kmeto's sound are just as numerous as the talents of the artist who sings over, under, and through it. Kmeto produces her own beats ("yes, I make the beats too" serves as her Myspace tag), writes her own songs, and has a strong, seductive voice to back up the synthesizers and bass. Electronica can put you in a trance without recognition of the artist's words or their substance; however, Kmeto definitely thrusts her jazz, R&B, soul, and hip-hop influences into the genre. With Expressor, Kmeto is saying something with her words and her beats. For instance, on Ms.Knowitall, Kmeto muses about recognizing the ignorance of inexperience while the beat transitions from a clapping digital melody to a hard-hitting synth. The experience of Kmeto could be likened to the way Aaliyah could sing within Timbaland's twisted and changing productions; the difference with Kmeto is her voice and lyrics could stand alone as their own soulful R&B songs. The tracks on Expressor are all at once off-balance and seductive while still being cohesive as a whole album. Stand-outs that are just as much about Kmeto's voice as they are about her beats are A Way To Love Me, Want You Too, A Walk Toward We, and Kmeto's singing on Cynical Integrity sounds like Jill Scott's spoken word flow. With Expressor Kmeto is definitely taking the electronica to a whole other place.