ACOUSTIC SOUL was over a year and a half in the making. Experimenting at both the demo and production stage, India.Arie emerged with a spare, yet enveloping sound of her own: a balanced, intuitive and highly personal melding of textures and beats chosen from both the old and new. ''I'm trying to blend acoustic and hip-hop elements,'' India.Arie explains. ''I used the most acoustic-sounding drum samples, to have something loud enough to compete with other records, but to keep the realistic, softer feel.'' Track co-producers Blue Miller, Mark Batson, Carlos ''Six July'' Broady, and Bob Powers all cowrote with her, resulting in a vibe that's unmistakably collaborative, consistent and creatively whole. TRACK LISTING: Intro Video Promises Brown Skin Strength, Courage, & Wisdom Nature Back to the Middle Ready for Love Interlude Always in My Head I See God in You Simple Part of My Life Beautiful Outro Wonderful (Stevie Wonder Dedication)