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Nathan Thomas: Still Water [Futuristica]
Singer songwriter Nathan Thomas first captured our attention when he layed his honey vocals down on Rapson’s 2018 house banger “Heat”. Soon afterwards we got a taste of his forthcoming lp when the warm and mellow “SunBlind”, the first single also premiered in 2018. At that point our appetite yearned for more and our patience eventually rewarded with “Still Water”. The superb ten track lp delivers with an array of delicious down tempo soulful compositions. Evidence can be found with the title track, a sublime recording with sketches of jazz and hip hop with production from Simon S. “Peacemakers” blossoms with Marc Raspson’s signature sound of wicked beats and hypnotic keys. “Namaste” is filled with tasty guitar rhythms, sweet vocals and lovely songwriting. Quite simply it’s another winner from the Futuristica family. Thomas’s warm vocal harmonies and heartfelt lyrics has the makings of a promising career. A brilliant debut from an emerging talent.
Otis Sandsjo: Y-Otis 2 [We Jazz]
Berlin based Swedish saxophonist Otis Sandsjo made quite a splash with his 2019 release “Y-OTIS”. With “Y-OTIS 2” he continues to push the boundaries and defies genres. Bassist Petter Eldh and drummer Tilo Weber return while Dan Nicholls takes over for Elias Stemeseder on keys and synths. Along with a few guests they collaborate on a stunning colection of adventurous compositions that drift beyond jazz. “Tremendoce” starts off with Per “Texas” Johansson and Jonas Kullhammar trading engaging flute melodies before accompanied by Eldh’s inticing bass groove. The theme is set with boundless melodies from each musician taking on a life of their own before coming back together as one. Sandsjo sprinkles his creative horn rhythms throughout giving everyone freedom to explore yet still making his presence felt. Nicholls majestic piano rhythms set the mood on “Abysmal”. Sandjso injects an inspired solo midway through as the tempo shifts into high gear. “Atombahn” brims with boundless energy from Sandjso while Nicholls spacey synths elevates the track to another dimension. An ambitious recording filled with innovative compositions. This band is quickly making a name for themselves in a huge way.
Asher Gamedze: Dialectic Soul [On The Corner]
“Dialectic Soul” is the debut from drummer Asher Gamedze. The Cape Town, South African resident garnered much attention when he appeared on Angel Bat Dawid’s album “The Oracle” last year. From the first note on the fiery “State Of Emergence” you’re immediately pulled into Gamedze’s consciouseness. Gamedze’s intense drumming dynamics set the tone for Buddy Wells wailing Tenor that echoes the people’s voices rising up to oppression. “Slyabulela” strikes a softer tone with Nono Nkoane’s soothing vocals filled with poignant lyrics gliding on top of Wells and Robin Fassie-Kock’s melodic trumpet. “Eternally” is pure fire with bassist Thembinkosi Mavimbela’s thunderous bass rhythms keeping everyone on top of their game. Gamedze’s pulsating cymbals heighten the intensity and create a canvas for Wells and Fassie-Kock to swing. This triumphant debut is about reclaiming the soul of all fellow human beings during these trying times. Gamedze taps into the spirit of Coltrane as well as the activism of Miriam Mabeka and the result is a collection of exceptional compositions that inspires hope for all of us. What a recording. You need this as much as any recording you’ll purchase this year.
Mammal Hands: Captured Spirits [Gondwana]
“Captured Spirits” is the fourth album the Norwich trio known as Mammal Hands. Saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart and drummer Jesse Barrett merge classical jazz and electronica into a distinctively polished and engaging sound. Highlights include “Spiral Stair” where Nick Smart’s melodic fingers strike a chord with brother Jordan’s soft yet hearty tone. “Riddle” is filled with dazzling improvised interplay between the Smart brothers. Jordan’s euphoric keystrokes set the bar for Nick’s melodic phrases and create some wondrous moments. Let’s not forget Barrett here, his drumming ranges from the orchestral to the understated whisper thereby setting the table for the Smart brothers to soar. Together the trio create a mood of euphoric orchestral soundscapes that provide a joyful spark throughout. A sparkling showcase and another gem from the Gondwana record label.
Georgie Sweet: Misunderstood [Futuristica]
When vocalist Georgie Sweet dropped the lead single “Half Human” in 2018, it provided a sneak peak into a potentially promising lp. It’s safe to say that with “Misunderstood” the promise has been fulfilled in spades. Gergie’s debut is filled with warm soulful hip-hop beats and jazzy vibes topped off with her blissful vocals and heartfelt compositions. There are many gems to sort through but “What I Had Done” is a great place to start. Produced by Marc Rapson, the track features a catchy hook aligned with an infectious hip-hop beat built on top of an irresistible groove. Sweet’s cool harmonies are the icing on the cake. “Sorry” the second single also produced by Rapson blossoms with a slow burning tempo and warm chords. A live recording of the tune from Futuristica HQ is featured here as well. “Flower”, produced by Theo Howarth is a soulful electronic gem with exotic melodies augmented by Sweet’s ethereal vocals. Other notable producers on hand are K15, Mecca 83 and Simon S himself. With nary a weak tune in sight this marks another triumph for the Futuristica label in 2020, not to mention an outstanding debut. For Ms Sweet, the future looks very bright.
Church Andrews & Matt Davies : Neighbors [Health]
Church Andrews & drummer Matt Davies collaborate on the experimental project “Neighbors”. Church Andrews is the moniker for Kirk Barley and this is the follow up to the “CA1” lp he released in 2016. “Roadtrip” is filled with wobbly synths and oft-kilter beats. “Elixir” is a cascade of warped beats and spacey electronic textures. “Temporal” exudes a bit more warmth and provides a hint of Barkley’s other projects under his namesake. Together Barkley and Davies explore the limitless possibilities between electronica and the drums. The result is a wide array of tone altering moods and sound sculpters definitely worth checking out.
Jersey Street: Love Rising Up [Ubuntu Music]
“Love Rising Up” is the latest from Manchester based group Jersey Street and their first release on Ubuntu music. Fronted by vocalist Dawn Zee their music fuses jazz, house and soul. It has been awhile since we heard from them but based on this recording, the wait was well worth it. The disc kicks off with the title track, ripe with lush strings an irresistible house groove topped off by Zee’s vocals soaring over the melodies. “No One Can Take Your Place” is another banger filled with polished jazz orchestration. The pace winds down with “Open Your Mind”, a slice of mellow infectious soul jazz. Zee’s nuanced vocal chops combined with superb musicianship is unmistakable throughout these engaging recordings. The fact that the group made a considerable amount of preparation towards production and arrangements is evident through the first listen. An exceptional album from some of Manchester’s finest that shouldn’t be missed.
Nimbus Sextet: Dreams Fulfilled [Acid Jazz]
Led by pianist Joe Nichols, the Glasgow based jazz band Nimbus Sextet unload an array of engaging soul jazz recordings. The core of the band, Nichols, drummer Alex Palmer and bassist Mischa Stevens came together while attending Edinbough University. By 2018 the band evolved into a sextet, which brings us to their debut”Dreams Fulfilled”. They bust out of the gate with the searing groove of “Trap Door”, riped with blazing horns and melodic keys. Nichols along with Saxophonist Martin Fell sereanades us with warm mellow melodies on “Klara”. Guest guitarist Luca Pisanu adds adventurous rhythms to the contemporary piece “Seance”. An impressive debut for this talented group that will garner plenty of attention.
Marcos Valle, Ali Shaheed Mohammad & Adrian Younge: Marcos Valle JID003 [Jazz Is Dead]
The Jazz IS Dead series, lead by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Mohammed strikes again with the legendary Brazailian vocalist Marcos Valle taking center stage. What Younge and Shaheed Mohammed do so well capturing the emotion of Valle’s sound while blending it with their analog 70’s soul influenced arrangements. The studio sessions harken back to the days when artists completed a recording in one or two takes and that’s more than enough for the veteran vocalist to shine. “Queira Bem” is filled with sun drenched rhodes and sparkling percussion. Valle’s vocals float over the rhythm like a warm summer breeze. “Viajando Por Al” is a seductive bossa duet. “Nao Sala Da Praca has a percolating groove that’s tailor made for Valle. The dusty analog approach from Younge and Shaheed Mohammed are a match made in heaven for one of the vocal Kings of Brazil. Simply a superb release worthy of repeated listens.
Lack of Afro: I’m Here Now [Bastion Music Group]
If there’s one thing you can count on from Adam Gibbons, the man behind Lack Of Afro is you know he’s gonna bring the funk. “I’m Here Now”, his latest release leaves no doubt. Armed with an array of talented vocalists and rappers, all Gibbons has to do is lay down an infectious groove and you have yourself a superb string of tunes. “You Could Do Better” featuring Camila Recchio & Wax is classic soul with wicked wah wah guiter rhythms and strings. New York rapper Kenzo knows what to do with “Bad As Self” and that’s spit razor sharp verses over the head nodding groove.”Wait For Me” is slow burning soul feating Mica Miller. “I’m Here Now” is an instant party starter with all the ingredients for a funky good time. All you need to do is show up, clear the floor and press play.