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Tess Hirst – HERstory [Jazz Re:freshed]

Tess Hirst first came to my attention during her collaboration with Bassist Daniel Casimir. Their joint album “These Days” showcased her ethereal vocals and songwriting. In addition, she was accompanied by some of London’s premiere musicians who are at the forefront of UK club culture. Hirst’s solo debut “HERstory” picks up where that album left off. The disc kicks off with the simmering “This Is Her”. Hirst’s emotive vocals intertwine seamlessly with the Tomorrow’s Warriors string section. The finale “Magic” is a tribute to their ability to rise to any challenge. This high energy tune is spearheaded by Richard Spaven’s propulsive drumming and Casimir’s driving bass rhythms. Pianist Sarah Tandy completes the band and their cohesion is notable. London based label Jazz re:freshed continues to be the place for superb Jazz recordings. This marvelous lp is no exception.

https://tesshirst.bandcamp.com/album/herstory

Mario Luciano & Lauren Santi – Shades of Mauve [Madlib Invasion]

The Madlib invasion Music Library series continues with Producer Mario Luciano and vocalist Lauren Santi. “Shades of Mauve” is a collection of breezy jazz samples. Luciano’s keyboard arrangements take center stage while guitarist Gerson Zaragoza and drummer Ayepee play big roles. Santi’s vocal phrasings are spread throughout the fifteen track disc. “Inner Search” is layered with hazy synths and wordless vocal phrasings. “Psych Impression” is a cinematic offering highlighted by Santi’s opera styled vocals. “Blue Miles” captures the spirit of the Mountains with warm guitar and spacey rhodes. If you’re into laidback beats and dreamy soundscapes you’ll no doubt enjoy this one.

https://mils.bandcamp.com/album/mils008-shades-of-mauve

VA – Family Affair Vol.3 [Razor-N-Tape]

New York based label Razor n Tape continues to deliver essential House and dance tracks with the release of “Family Affair Vol. 3”. “2gether” by Yuu Udagawa instantly grabs your ear with a neck snapping beat and infectious chords. DJ/Producer Cody Currie, a frequent contributor to the label delivers another banger with heart pounding “Ghost”. Other notables such as the boogie tune “Doctors Orders” make this essential listening for house heads and dance enthusiasts. The third installment of this series is just as enjoyable as Vol.1 & 2.

https://razor-n-tape.bandcamp.com/album/family-affair-vol-3

New Visionaries – Roadmaps [Love Monk Records]

Australian artist Joel Sarakula and Dutch musician Phil Martin are New Visionari
es. The duo first met in 2019 and the following year began working on tracks. “Roadmaps” is an eclectic collection of cinematic compositions and contemporary soul grooves. “Desert Disco Nights” has a seventies soundtrack aesthetic ignited by electric guitar and organ rhythms. “Summer Rain” is a mellow tune that features Hannah Williams on vocals. “Brasiliance” exudes warm vibes with percolating percussion and fender rhodes. This ten track release will keep your eardrums on lock and your head nod on non-stop.

https://newvisionaries.bandcamp.com/album/roadmaps

Dina Ogon – Orion [Playground Music]

Swedish band Dina Ogon return with their third album. “Orion” radiates with soft psychadelic soulful vibes. The vocal harmonies combined with dynamic rhythm section creates a wave of positive vibes felt throughout the disc. “Hall Avstand” is a dreamy tune aided by mediatitive electric guitar rhythms. “Glitter” comes in with a soft thumping beat that aligns perfectly with the vocal harmonies. This four piece group has built an underground following and it’s easy to see why. They have nailed the formula for melancholy blissful soul. The result will seduce you to repeated listens.

https://www.playgroundmusic.com/dina-ogon

Sababa 5 – Aspan [Batov Records]

“Aspan”, the sophomore lp from Sababa 5 dives deeper into psychadelic rock than their impressive debut. The combination of psychadelica and middle Eastern rhythms results in a wave of intoxicating compositions. “Wembley”, the opening track erupts with mind bending synths layered over a hypnotic groove. “Tri Li Li” carries the baton with the same formula with bassist Amir Sadot laying down a simmering groove. “Aeolus” is a laidback mediative composition filled with dreamy soundscapes. Guitarist Llan Smilan’s explorative playing is certain to take you for a ride. Eitan Drabkin’s wizardry on keys is deeply satisfying. There’s plenty of reason to enjoy this disc. The playing is exuberant and the compositions will lift your spirits.

https://sababa5.bandcamp.com/album/aspan

Stro Elliot – La Villa [Def Pressé]

DJ/Producer Stro Elliot is the latest Def Pressé member to dive into the vaults of the London based KPM/EMI record library. You may be familiar with Stro’s hip-hop samples through his affiliation with the Roots. The KPM libary spans seventy years of music across a myriad of genres. The arrangement between KPM and Def Presse was a benefit to fellow labelmate Damu the Fudgemunk and his recent projects. Based on this release Elliot came away with some hidden gems with a seventies soul vibe. Specifically they would feel right at home in a James Brown catalog. The opening track “Monday’s Generation” is a prime example. The drum kit snare lays down the beat while the uplifting flute and guitar rhythms round things out into form. “Bamboo” is a mid-tempo hypnotic boom bap tune. The Asian cinematic soundscapes would easily fit into a Wu Tang recording. It must have been a daunting task for Elliot to narrow down his selections. That being said the ten tracks he came up with certainly have hit the mark.

https://stro.bandcamp.com/album/la-villa

Superduty Tough Work – Paradigm Shift [Next Door Records]

Superduty Tough Work is a hip-hop collective from Winnipeg Canada. “Paradigm Shift”, their debut lp that hits the mark with ten heavyweight tracks, Front man Brandon Grey’s lyrics cover a myriad of topics with a razor sharp delivery. On “Guillotine Dreams” Grey pulls no punches with a number of poignant lyrics like the following; “The hunger falters, schizophrenic vultures, counselors throwing us money to pimp the culture”. “New Sight” kicks off with a drum n bass groove while Grey shows he easily keep up the pace. “Molotov Cocktails at Brunch”, although a mellow slow burner it still packs a punch. Once again Grey effortlessly weaves from one topic to another. This is straight up essential hip-hop that you shouldn’t miss.

https://superdutytoughwork.bandcamp.com/album/paradigm-shift

Web Web – Web Max II [Compost Records]

The Munich based quartet return with their fifth album. “Web Max II” once again features producer Max Herre. Herre gives the disc an understated spiritual jazz vibe filled with moments of intense soloing. “Perennial Journey” features spoken word paying homage to the pioneers that paved the way before them. The tune has a seductive grooe aided by an infectious guitar rhythms and mediatative flute. “Testimony” is ignited by a brooding melody and haunting bass clarinet flurries alongside a heavenly chorus. “Olobo” is a sublime orchestral recording that features Carlos Nino on cymbals, chimes and other instruments. The band continues to explore the depths of spiritual jazz and come away with another marvelous recording.

https://webweb.bandcamp.com/album/web-max-ii

Ahu – Stellar [Mythstery Records]

Hard to believe that this is Ahu’s first solo project. The Turkish singer/songwriter has guested on numerous projects over the past fifteen years. You may recognize her voice from the Flying Lotus track “Roberta Flack”. “Stellar” features amixture of laidback and uptempo tunes that showcase her vocal talents. “I and I” starts the disc off with dreamy chords that complement her feathery vocals. “Same Sky” is a mid-tempo finger poppin’ tune with a soulful horn section. “Good News” is an uptempo sixties flavored soul number with an infectious drum snare beat. “Stellar” allows Ahu to stretch out present her own musical horizons. Let’s hope the wait isn’t too long for the next record.

https://ahumusic.bandcamp.com/album/stellar

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