Review: Matters Unknown - I Am The Birds (Bridge The Gap)

When you've got a Nubiyan Twist (Tom Excell) and Kweku Sackey (K.O.G) on your project together with a track on a Blue Note compilation, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonathan Enser is in a position to declare, 'I Am The Birds'!

When you've just had a track on a Blue Note label compilation, 'Transmissions From Total Refeshment Centre' (where our good friend Emanative had a gig this week promoting his latest album, see review HERE), Jonathan thoughts went onto fusing orchestral arrangements with jazz, garage, dancehall and afrobeats.

We know K.O.G from his Heavenly Sweetness works (see review HERE) and his appearance on Nubiyan Twist's 'Find Your Flame' but Jonathan tells us, “The inspiration came from a transformative period in my life, where I was regularly confined to bed for days due to the excruciating chronic pain that ultimately led to my amputation. At this time, an Indian bean tree outside my window became a place of solace. The tree attracted bright green parakeets, which, though not indigenous, found a home in the urban environment. These birds, vibrant and free, became my companions, symbolising resilience, freedom, and the boundless possibilities of the mind and spirit. The parakeets offered me a vision of life beyond my suffering, where creativity and imagination could transcend the physical body.”

What with LEDJ's 'Circuit Breaker' that came out last month (see review HERE) what a great time it is to be a Afro-beat inspired jazz fan and it's going to be even better in the new year as there's an EP due, 'Silhouettes: A Dream Sphere Journal' (24.01.25).

Artist: Matters Unknown

Title: I Am The Birds
Release date: 29th November, 2024
Label : Bridge The Gap
Catalog Number : -
Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp