Review: Peacey - Play It By Ear (Atjazz Record Company)

Atjazz Record Company have excelled themselves with Peacey's debut album as they 'Play It By Ear'.

We've been excited by the earlier singles, 'Playground' featuring Rona Ray (see review HERE), 'Culture Bandit' featuring Vanessa Hidary (see review HERE), 'Hold Me Back' featuring Clyde & Atjazz (see review HERE) that are all including here but we didn't expect another 13 high quality modern soul drenched tracks.

Head straight for 'Falling Down' featuring Sarai Jazz (great name BTW), 'Love In The Forest' featuring OVEOUS (Oh! That's a voice to slip into!), 'Find A Way' and 'Running' featuring Sabrina Chyld, 'The Mandarin Affair' featuring Clyde, 'In The Distance' featuring Laroye and ending with 'Don't Send Us Back' featurig Emilie Chick [as featured on the March Colour & Pitch Sessions mix - see below].  All new names for us to follow in the future.

It's hard to comprehend that this is a debut album as it's so deep throughout that's melds house, R&B soul, nu-jazz beats, boogie in a fusion of Atjazz style pleasure. It's the opposite lightness bass to the dark bass of Timedance/Ilian Tape (see 'BeatutySick' review HERE: wouldn't it be fun if they did remixes for each other?).

This is going to be featured on many a play (it by ear) as tracks like 'Running' and 'Don't Send Us Back' are just perfect for club and radio ('Running would be even better with a 12" version with dub-extensions - watch this space) whilst the Atjazz collab on 'Afternoon Delight' is a heavy post-dubstep UKG jazz up (great trumpet and another that could go super dubby).

Whilst the artwork indicates that this album is 'taken' from lots of different records/vinyl/styles, if you play it by ear, it's mostly definitely Peacey - many thanks 'Dear Uncle Tim' for being an inspiration. 

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2024

Artist: Peacey

Title: Play It By Ear

Release date: 5th April 2024

Label: Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number: ARC230AD Digital / Bandcamp

Reviews: Peacey - Playground (feat. Rona Ray) (Atjazz Record Company)

The wait for the Peacey album continues but that's cool whilst Atjazz keep teasing us with singles like 'Playground' with instrumental and acid versions. 

Following on from the "holiday" release of 'Cultural Bandit' that featured the 'angry' and insightful spoken word poetry of Vanessa Hidary (see review HERE) this track is more of a post UKG boogie soul that features the vocals of Rona Ray whilst deep in the background in the spirit of Roger Troutman (Mr Peacey knows his synth history I reckon).

And it's the synth acid vocal version and dub that's going to get some serious club plays if you ask me.

Strongly suspect one of these tracks will be featured on this months' Colour & Pitch Sessions mixtape (see below) and 'Playground', like Culture Bandit' and ‘Play It By Ear’, are from the forthcoming Peacey album 'Play It By Ear' that's due out in a couple of months. 

Artist: Peacey

Title: Playground feat. Rona Ray

Release date: 23rd February 2024

Label: Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number: ARC230ADS3 Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Abel - Can’t Let You Go featuring Rona Ray (Atjazz Record Company)

Atjazz knows a tune and he's found one hear with this collaboration between Abel and the vocal talents of Rona Ray, he just couldn't let it go.

With a cover that looks very Sun Ra and some deep Rhodes electric piano the instrumental version is as equally stunning as the vocal version. 

Abel's album is due out in October, called 'Cosmic Law' and if it's half as good as South Beach Recylcing album ('Obsessive Compulsive Disco) was/is (see review HERE) it's going to be a massive year for Atjazz Record Company when gong are handed out at the end of year awards season.

As an aside, I understand SBC will be at the We Out Here Festival in Dorset next month so keep ya ears open for 'Jonny's Hustle' and 'Can't Let You Go'.

Artist: Abel featuring Rona Ray

Title: Can't Let You Go

Release date: 21st  July, 2023

Label : Atjazz Record Company

Catalog Number : ARC250ADS1 Digital / Bandcamp