Cassie Ventura is a coolly mysterious performer. Students of modern R&B know she's the real deal—just ask innovators like Jhené Aiko and Kelela, who claim her as an influence. Cassie's 2006 self-titled debut is a marvel of sonic austerity that sets her coquettish and understated voice over ghostly keyboard arrangements. Her songs pare contemporary soul down to its essentials: a lovely voice and a melodic hook that never lets us go.