Browsing Tag

easy listening

Slip back to the mid-century with Sam Johnson Trio’s jazz number, Waltz for Taylor

Posted on 27 March 2024

Sam Johnson Trio’s latest single, ‘Waltz for Taylor’, is a temporal gateway to the golden era of mid-century jazz, an introduction to the trio’s commitment to authenticity and an exhibition of their skill in crafting a sound that resonates with the essence of jazz legends like the Vince Guaraldi Trio and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

The easy-listening instrumental score crafted by Sam Johnson (piano), Georgia Johnson (double bass), and James Wood (drums) shuns the lure of bravado and opts for an ambience rich in opulence and decadence, yet remarkably free of pretension. It’s a rare feat in today’s jazz scene.

The heart of this piece lies in its melodious piano keys, led by Sam Johnson. His intuitive play is the cornerstone of the trio’s sound, weaving a soundscape that is both warm and beguiling. The expressive flair of the music is subtle yet profound, inviting listeners into a world of escapism. The cathartic nature of this waltz is undeniable, offering a respite from the chaos of modern life.

This single is a must-listen for jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike, offering a slice of history served with a side of modern flair.

Waltz for Taylor was officially released on March 15th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

J reshaped the landscape of protest music with his jazzy guitar score, Shame on You

Posted on 28 January 2024

Busting the myth that protest songs need to antagonise in the same vein as Rage Against the Machine or Black Flag, the Brighton-based artist, J, exhibited how mellow sonic political activism can be with his latest release, Shame on You.

Paired with an aptly endearing official music video, the ‘oppressed version’ of the single, sans the snippets of dystopian diatribes from Trump and Bush, allows you to embrace the absurdity of our tumultuous political waters while rising above them as the lighter-than-air guitar lines seemingly defy gravity.

J’s guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal – his strings sing with a life of their own in the genre-fluid fusion of jazz, pop, and classical guitar, but notably, the secret ingredient is his unflinching sense of humour and his lack of artistic ego. It’s a rarity for an artist to be so talented and not locked into the singular vision of rock stardom; J always endeavours to create sonic experiences that resonate with his soul; in doing so, he opens up cathartic worlds with his virtuosic tongue-in-jazz-groove flare.

Shame on You will be available to stream from January 26th; stream the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Enchanting Chanteuse Annabel Hailey Reached New Celestial Heights in Her Single, Perfect for this World

Posted on 20 October 2023
Annabel Hailey

After introducing us to The City That Never Sleeps, the enchanting Nordic pop chanteuse Annabel Hailey enticed us into a new session of jazzy easy listening mesmerism with her latest single, Perfect for this World.

“You have to be broken for the light to get through” may be one of the most affecting lyrical epiphanies I’ve ever had the pleasure of soaking in. The conceptual luminosity of the classic pop score and Annabel Hailey’s ethereally pure vocal timbre which echoes vulnerability and power in the same breath makes it all the more enlightening.

In her own words:

“The song talks about how we carry a burden that no one knows about. We put on a brave face and carry on like we’re okay. We often think that being brave is about not showing we are hurting, although being vulnerable is the most courageous thing to do. We are all broken in some ways; it’s a part of this journey. Perfection is not the goal and doesn’t exist; we are perfect for this world as we are, humans in progress. We define who we are with our thoughts and actions; let your light shine bright.

I end with a quote Anais Nin made famous ‘We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are’; making assumptions and judgments on others is misguided and unnecessary.”

The Finland-born singer-songwriter, who spends her time between Amsterdam, the Netherlands and NYC, hit the one million streams mark with her EP, Phases, which debuted in February 2020. We’re unequivocally sure she can do the same again in her next EP, which is due for release in 2024.

Perfect for this World will officially be released on the 20th of October; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Maverick lived up to their moniker with their folksy easy listening debut single, I love coffee culture

Posted on 15 October 2023

The debut single, I love coffee culture, from Maverick is a tongue-in-cheek, bean-in-cup twee triumph. The twinkling piano keys atop the simple yet as delicious as a caramel macchiato easy guitar chords orchestrate the same kind of laidback atmosphere you would want to sink into in your favourite den of caffeine as the vocals prove it is the small things in life, especially if those small things are made by the hands of a barista who can take the mundanity of the corporate world away.

It is somewhat ironic that Maverick is a virtual band composing songs for tangible experiences, but given the sticky-sweet feel-good factor of the folksy easy listening release, we can easily forgive the band spearheaded by the song crafter and vocalist, John Crystal and feel stoked for the singles we have been promised will follow. We already need our next fix.

I love coffee culture was officially released on October 4; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Charlotte Lansman grooved through the last rays of summer while celebrating new love in her jazz-soul single, Stupid Love

Posted on 5 September 2023

Charlotte Lansman delivered the definitive London jazz sound while lyrically moving away from soul cliches in her latest single, Stupid Love. The London-based, Bristol-born singer never fails to hit the sultry with a little bit of grit mark in her singles that bring elements day to day-to-day reality into luxe installations of sonic beguile; Stupid Love is far from the exception.

By evading hallmarked cliches, she was free to focus on the way we wear rose-tinted glasses to cope with the false truths and how wearing your boyfriend’s shirt to the station in the morning cloaks you in impassioned ardour and enables you to fall in love with the world of around you. It’s almost a paradox how her song crafting is completely antithetical to your average love song but reaches the pinnacle of romanticism regardless.

With Joe Rodwell in charge of the production, which sees new romance explored through laid-back grooves, retro synths, rhythmically arrestive Latin jazz beats and guitar riffs that will make the last rays of summer feel even sweeter, Stupid Love became an uplifting triumph.

Stupid Love was officially released on August 24; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Embark on an ochre aural adventure with Ross Cantrell’s single, Peach Skies, ft Sam Thompson

Posted on 7 August 2023

After graduating from Bath Spa University with a First-Class Honours Degree in Music and releasing a superlative string of successful singles, the saxophonist and composer, Ross Cantrell has invited his fans to embark on an ochre aural adventure by unveiling his debut album, Golden Hour.

While each of the seven singles serves up a melodic remedy that will indulge your senses in catharsis, the standout jazz-fusion single, Peach Skies, featuring Sam Thompson is the perfect introduction to Cantrell’s arresting ability to bring presence of mind to his listeners.

From an intro of reverberant drenched in 80s nostalgia synths, the downtempo amalgam of smooth jazz and electronic pop gets to work embedding under your skin, implanting ease with each mellifluous progression that exhibits Ross Cantrell’s natural talents when it comes to subduing you into a sonic world of sheer sonic serenity.

The halcyon days may be over in our society, but endless swathes of tranquillity await anyone willing to hit play.

Stream Peach Skies and the LP in full by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Andelo made an irresistible jazz-pop plea in ‘Take it Easy on Me’

Posted on 26 April 2023

Easy listening has never been easier than slipping into the superlative slice of jazz, Take it Easy on Me, from the artist and producer, Andelo. It is a far jazz pop cry from Andelo’s internationally accoladed and celebrated former releases, which pay homage to 80s pop and rock anthems, but there’s no doubt that jazz-pop is also one of his wheelhouses. His signature theatrical flair is more nuanced in the jazzy ensemble, but it resounds all the same, especially when the swooning sax lines proliferate the single with seduction.

The flourishing piano keys, bluesy guitar licks and steady percussive fills tightly enmesh to deliver a sensuously mellifluous platform for the featuring female vocalist’s vulnerable harmonies that project the fear of getting burned in a new relationship when you can still feel the sting of old flames dying out. We’ve all been there; few can allude to the sensation as soulfully.

Take it Easy on Me is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Roc Flowers elevated the airwaves with his ground-breaking LP, Ovision

Posted on 3 November 2022

Roc Flowers became the Mike Patton of his generation with the launch of his genre-melding gospel album, Ovision, featuring various artists, including Fabrizio Bosso, Max Ionata, Stefano De Donato, Francesco Cherubini, Leonardo Volo, and Toti Panzanelli.

The opening single, God is Blue, starts with a quiescent neo-classic deliverance of jazzy pop tones, before hushed harmonic vocal lines and rap bars recontextualise the soundscape in scintillating fashion.

Not only would you be hard-pressed to find another artist delivering such a cathartic fusionist sound, but Roc Flowers also ensures that you’re left so sated that you’ll want for nothing while immersing yourself in this exploratory album which covers plenty of the tonal spectrum while indulging you in Gospel-Esque soul.

It’s easy listening as you’ve never known it before. The reference to Peaches in track 3 in the lyric “I can move the pussy like Peaches but I’d rather get our souls into deepness” was completely unexpected, but my god, it was appreciated. It truly is an LP that keeps on giving.

Ovision is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: rise and shine with the soul in Laraland’s latest single, In the Morning

Posted on 20 June 2022
Laraland

Ahead of the release of her third LP, the Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Laraland has unveiled the soul in her latest seductive jazz-pop serenade, In the Morning, featuring bassist Nama.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. ‘They’ have never succumbed to the succinctly revelatory lyrical style of Laraland. “In the morning you won’t know my name but I’m the same” perfectly encapsulates the hangover from the cocktail of alcohol, fleeting affection and amicable rejection. At least the love affair with this loungey jazz revival is built to stand the test of time.

With all the timeless class of Ella Fitzgerald nestled up against the modernist resonance in the groove-deep production, easy listening just became infinitely more arrestive. Voices like this don’t emerge every day; Laraland is notably a golden souled diamond in the superficial rough. Get her on your radar.

In her own words, here is what Laraland had to say about her latest single,

“In the Morning was written during another long lockdown in Melbourne in late 2021. It reminisces on the idea of being able to go out and meet new people at a bar, club or anywhere the night takes you. I am drawing on the idea that sometimes you form a connection with a stranger in a bar and want it to last longer than its bitter-sweet one-night expiry.”

In the Morning will officially release on June 20th. You can hear it for yourselves via Spotify.

Follow Laraland on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Imagesong becomes the Patti Smith of this era with her protestive easy listening song, A High Vibration

Posted on 17 March 2022

For her latest single, A High Vibration, the up-and-coming artist, Imagesong, pulled together an impressive roster of world-class professional artists, including arranger and bassist Jon Burr, jazz vocalist Alexis Cole, saxophonist and woodwind doubler Marc Phaneuf, cellist Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf, and pianist Mike Eckroth.

Don’t let the track title and the smooth jazzy timbre of the instrumentals fool you. A High Vibration is far from your average good-vibe inspired song. It contains bruisingly broadsiding lyrics that would start a revolution if the world tuned in.

“How long will we accept the tyranny of power and greed” would be an empowering question if it fell from anyone’s lips. Stemming from Connie Marotta’s elegant chanteuse vocals, there’s a certain magic to them that invites you to imagine the possibility of artists shaping the world instead of capitalists.

The Jazzy ethereal work, A High Vibration, is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast