Review: Or Kantor - Sarda Sarda (Anova Music)

If there's one modern surf album you need this year, this is it!  In fact, it's the type of album that could change your life!

The cover looks dodgy?  A bit 70s Greek holiday.  Or even Scandavian?  But what's that at the bottom, "The neo-surfterranean sound of Or Kantor"!  Well it's all those cross genre surf meets Morricone/OST to Batov Records to Astake's Ethio jazz as leftfield Balearic soft rocks off baby.

Crazy to find that Or is a London based painter and tattooist.and we're told that the music reflects his artwork of Mediterranen Sea inspired beaches and small towns.

Not sure I'd want Or to permanently mark my skin but 12 track album (not a bad 'un amongst 'em) has left a mark on me; the first vocal track is a bit of a surprise 'Rising Tide' which goes a bit more Hank Marvin 60s but he sounds more like Nick Cave than Cliff.

It's going to be 'Album of the Week' all over as the new the South East Asian psych funk has had it's day and it's time to move to Hoxton (and anywhere else that's trendy with it's own sea side view, twangy guitars and big organs.

Expect to hear this at the Chilled Cider festival as it overlooks the Atlantic all the way to the Brasilian coast; the Med is on your left.  Andrew Weatherall would have loved this.

Artist: Or Kantor

Title:  Sarda Sarda

Release date: 28th July, 2024 

Label : Anova Music

Catalog Number :  -

Format:  LP / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Joseph Malik - Only Fans ft. Digital Liquid (F*CLR Music)

OK, I know you expect some clever double entendre / entendres for this review with the title and the featured artist; but you ain't going to get it from me as this track (and instrumental) is for everyone.

 

The F*CLR massive have recently been on a dancefloor roll Miss N.K.K from her remix of Mr. Malik's 'With A Capital T' remix (see review HERE) and her own magnificent synthed out 'Galactic Love' (see review HERE).  For their latest hit, 'Only Fans', Joseph has jumped over the imaginery divide from Ramrock to F*CLR for his soul to be acided-up as inspired 70s ghetto funk groover in both vocal and instrumental options s.

'Only Fans' might get a few stray Google search hits but if you're looking for great dance music, this is the place to come... and don't forget the album, 'Proxima Ebony' (see review HERE).

And did somebody say X-Press 2 remix?

Artist: Joseph Malik ft. Digital Liquid

Title:  Only Fans 

Release date: 28th June, 2024

Label : F*CLR Music .

Catalog Number : FCLR032

Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Cee ElaAsaad Feat. Masaki Morii – TRIBE (Ensouled)

We are 'TRIBE' - the gang are gonna love this!

We've been lucky enough to follow Cee ElAssad on Ensouled with the first release, 'CLEVER' when he was assisted by Jaidene Veda (see review HERE) that was followe by Trinidadian Deep's equally impressive 'Moments Of Sounds EP' (see review HERE).

You can still hear his Morrocan roots but this teaming up with Japanese producer Masaki Morii there's deep Afro-House soul that's got at least one foot in Detroit's dancefloor.

A full-on dub version would be cool but as the message is, "We are a Tribe, We are interconnected, You and me, We are interconnected" - sounds like You And The Music anthem to me.

P.S. This week, Sumsuch's Colour & Pitch Sessions for June played the track 'Tribe' (track 9) and full soundcloud link below.

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

Artist: Cee ElAssaad ft. Masaki Morii
Title: TRIBE
Release date: 28th June, 2024
Label : Ensouled

Catalog Number : ENSLD003

Format: Digital  

Review: Julian Marazuela - Seven Islands (Be Adult Music)

This might be 3 track, but Julian Marazuela's 'Seven Islands' is the lucky number for Be Adult Music's latest release to prepare us for a summer in the Balearics (other idealic island archipelago locations are available).

For those looking to enjoy carefree summer sounds, this EP of 'Lights', 'Carnaval' and the title track will transport you to a world of cooling breeze and sandy feet: plus, its flute gang friendly.

It's been almost exactly a year since his debut release on Be Adult Music, 'The Traveller' and works great next to their last release, David Ol's 'I Need Your Love' (see review HERE).

P.S. This week, Sumsuch's Colour & Pitch Sessions for June played the track 'Lights' (track 5) and full soundcloud link below.

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

Artist: Julian Marazuela

Title: Seven Islands

Release date: 27th June, 2024

Label: Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM368

Format: Spotify and Beatport Exclusives

Review: Gaspare Di Lieto meets Sonia Sanchez, Amina Baraka, Genny Lim & Amiri Baraka - A Journey Into Poetry (Notami Jazz)

You'd be hard pressed to find a more important album than this as Gaspare Di Lieto takes 'A Journey Into Poetry with Sonia Sanchez, Amina Baraka, Genny Lim and Amiri Baraka and they all having something to say.

When you think of the conjunction of jazz and poetry, the obvious names of Jack Kerouac, Tom Waits and Gil Scot-Heron spring to mind.  More recently there's Anthony Joseph (as seen HERE) and Jasmin Tutum (as seen HERE) but here's some new names to us.

Picking just one track per performer out of this 11 track album, Sonia Sanchez ('Peace'), Amina Baraka ('Being Colored'), Genny Lim (the tribute to Abert Ayler, 'Shady Past') and Amiri Baraka's 'Afrika' are all superbly backed by Gaspare Di Lieto's band: Di Lieto (piano), Alfonso Deidda (soparano sax), Giuseppe Plaitano (tenor sax), Aldo Vigorito (bass), Tommaso Scannapieco (bass), Gaetano Fasano (drums) with the perfect jazz accompliment: particularly the spiritual blues of 'Shady Past' and Japanese peace garden of 'Monlam Chemo'.

As the poems talk, the sax(es) sing in perfect harmony/angst/spirit.

It's not the most easy or dance friendly album we'll hear this year, but it's likely to be more lasting, influential and important.

PS. Check out the lyrics/poems HERE.

Title: Gaspare Di Lieto meets Sonia Sanchez, Amina Baraka, Genny Lim & Amiri Baraka 

Title: A Journey Into Poetry

Release date: 30th April, 2024

Label : Notami Jazz.

Catalog Number :  

Format: Digital 

Review: Mike Casey - Calle Pizarro (Independent)

Mike Casey's 'Calle Pizarro' release is where you'll find all sorts of influences from the acclaimed saxophonist, composer & producer.

Mike is based in LA and this four track EP sounds like the West Coast jazz satxophonists answer to Nick Marks' East Coast 'Cinematic  Chromatics' (see review HERE) but in a flip of the usual geographic dynamics, this quintet is harder; particularly 'Ghazal' 

In addition to Mike's sax, 'Calle Pizarro' features some heavy piano and some almost prog/fusion/Balearic guitar (like a subduded Steve Hillage/Gary Boyle) - couldn't have timed 'The Beauty Of Everyday Life' better for the Chilled Cider weekend.

Even if there are lots of influences, it really keeps you on your toes and the forthcoming album is eagerly anticipated.  Due to be released in September and in keeping with the Spanish theme it's called 'Valencia' (Mike is a former masters student at Berklee's campus in the Spanish city): so get prepared for some jazz heat.

Title: Mike Casey 

Title: Calle Pizarro

Release date: 24th June, 2024

Label : Independent

Catalog Number : -

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Feiertag - ON/OFF EP (Sonar Kollektiv)

This EP ain't binary, it's totally ON.

We know from the release of 'Roots' (see review HERE) late last year and 'Feel Me' (featuring Nego True) / 'Law Of Attraction' (featuring OSHUN) (see review HERE) that Feiertag is nothing but prolific, diverse and quality. 

And he's at it again with this 4 track EP, 'ON/OFF' that ranges from the atmospheric opener 'CJ1108' to the bouncey electronic 'Colourball' which will liven up any dancefloor.

'DEKY' harks back to a music box vs. UKG shuffle which features the vocals of Rei Brown in a repetitive "Don't even know ya" phrase: familiar and new all at the same time. And then the best of the lot, the synthed out warp speed title track.

Did someone say prolific?  As well as releasing this EP on Sonar Kollektiv, there's also releases due on the equally iconic and foward thinking R&S Records and Anjunadeep so there's no escaping Feiertag this summer

Title: Feiertag

Title: ON/OFF EP

Release date: 21st June, 2024

Label : Sonar Kollektiv

Catalog Number : SK489D 

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Emily Saunders - Blue Skies Forever (Mix Sounds)

Emily Saunders' new single promises 'Blue Skies Forever' and I think she's onto something.

There's a lot going on here with a track that sounds like a long-lost DJ Paul Murphy 'Electric Ballroom', Dingwalls/Camden Town jazzdance favourite to a Latin-BRUK folk-prog: so that's right up my street.

In four different version; original, instrumental, radio edit, instrumental with backing vocals (I wish more folks would consider this imaginative release), all are for the new found summer party fever.

She sounds like she should of been part of the nu-jazz-future jazz explosion at Sonar Kollektiv (Germany, Five Corners (Finland), Jazzland (Norway) or Do Right! in Canada but she's actually from London and raised in Brixton; either way, she's definitely here and now.

Don't forget the earlier single 'Sideways' (see review HERE) and live at the Jazz Cafe, Camden, London on Monday (24th June).

Artist: Emily Saunders 

Title: Blue Skies Forever

Release date: 21st June, 2024 

Label : Mix Sounds

Catalog Number : MIXS2402

Format :Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Katarina Kochetova - Beyond Motion (A.MA Records)

Katarina Kochetov is part of the Serbian jazz wave that A.MA Records have picked up on and 'Beyond Motion' is her debut album release.

A.MA Edizioni (out of Italy you know) follow up their last release Shijuka Quintet's 'Octave Up' (see review HERE; more Serbian connections) with a line-up that includes Hugo Lof (Sweden) on double bass and Matheus Jardim (Brazil) on drums.

Four of the ten tracks are as a quartet with Jonander Cruz (Brazil) on alto sax ('UntiEled#4' and the title track) and Jure Pukl (Slovinia) also on sax ('Hemma' and 'Eternal Goodbyes') but the star of the show is Katarina as a 23 year old composer, pianist, bandleader this is a more than impressive debut.

Her style is a combination of classical training together with flavas of Monk, Tyner, Ethan Iverson (The Bad Plus) and it has caught the ear of Jazz FM's Ruth Fisher (Full Circle) as she's had the first play of 'Directions (In Time)'.  I'd have gone for the obvious 'NTYTATATST (Things We Say) or even 'Holmstock'.

The album really has a lovely feel of effortless flow; like water - or you could say it's 'Beyond Motion' but it's definetly full of (emotion) jazz

P.S. Great cover artwork to go with this one and it's also by Ms. Kochetova!

Artist: Katarina Kochetova 

Title: Beyond Motion

Release date: 21st June, 2024 

Label : A.MA Edizioni / A.MA Records

Format : LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Katarina Kochetova - Piano 

Hugo Lof – Double Bass 

Matheus Jardim - Drums 

Joander Cruz - Alto Saxophone (Tracks 3,8) 

Jure Pukl – Alto Saxophone (Track 4,9)

All music by Katarina Kochetova ©&℗ A.MA Edizioni

Review: Mackwood - Habits (5dB Records)

Here's a good 'Habit' to get into courtesy of Mackwood and DdB Records.

The follow-up to the Mackwood and Charlie Stacey release 'Yella!' (see review HERE) drummer/producer/songwriter Mackwood brings together just some of the influences after working with the likes of scene artists, including Col3trane, Nilufer Yanya, Jordan Rakei, Eliza and Blue Lab Beats.

In fact, if you can imagine Blue Lab Beats album, 'Blue Eclipse' in a more proggy synth bruk jazz fusion form, that's the type of habit Mackwood is wearing here with the help of  anaiis (France/Senegal) and Quinn Oulton (S.London).

Coming out of the Tomorrow's Warriors school, expect to see this guy at future WeOutHere Festivals and similar.

Artist: Mackwood ft. anaiis and Quinn Oulton

Title: Habits

Release date: 20^th June, 2024

Label: 5dB Records
Cat. No: 5DB24002

Format: Digital

 

Producer: Harry Ling
Producer: Javier Weyler
Composer: Harry Ling
Lyricist: anaiis
Lyricist: Quinn Oulton