Browsing Tag

Jazz Fusion

Slip into the sonorous soul of Jamie Toomey’s latest single, My Love is Real, featuring Syauqi Destanika

Posted on 26 September 2022

Taken from the sophomore album, Second Sunlight, from the eclectic Irish musician Jamie Toomey, the ambient jazzy RnB single, which comes laced with loungey folky instrumentation, My Love is Real, featuring Syauqi Destanika is a mesmeric offering of sincerity.

The tenderness to the uniquely uplifting melodies amplifies the luxe Gospel-Esque vocal timbre of the Indonesian vocalist, Syauqi Destanika, to the nth degree in the stripped-back soundscape which makes minimal demands on your attention but tugs on your heartstrings all the more viscerally for it.

You can delve into My Love is Real for yourselves from September 23rd by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spener blurred the lines between indie-rock and neo-soul in his compassion-driven single, Dial Away

Posted on 21 September 2022

North of England-born, Barcelona-based artist Spener blurred the lines between indie-rock and jazzy neo-soul in his slickly smooth seminal single, Dial Away.

I’m not entirely sure what is more enamouring in Dial Away, the euphonically consoling soundscape or the lyrical compassion that extends a sense of unconditional empathy that is scarcely found elsewhere to the listener.

While the mainstream media leaves us inclined to believe that artists like Amy Winehouse only come around once in a generation, Spener blows that notion out of the water with the sheer visceralism of his down-to-earth candour that can easily become addictive through his hook-laden vocal lines.

Dial Away is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get your good vibes straight from the source in ORAL P’s blister of Afropop bliss, Give Me Love O

Posted on 10 September 2022

East Nigeria-hailing Afropop artist ORAL P has captured international audiences since his 2018 debut; in his first release of 2022, Give Me Love O, he’s as soulfully versatile as ever.

With its jazzy undertones and rich Afrobeat flavour, Give Me Love O falls into that rare category of music that throws away commercialism, embraces a brand of soul that knows no borders and oozes commercial potential as a result of the vibrantly innate good vibes. With Give Me Love O on your playlists, you will always have a source of serotonin.

The Radio Edit of Give Me Love O is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Doully Yang leaves memories ablaze in his jazzy blues pop debut, Burnt Notes

Posted on 6 September 2022

Burnt Notes is the debut single from the Boston, Massachusetts singer-songwriter and guitarist Doully Yang, who never looked back from his obsession with the fretboard mastery of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, and Pat Martino. He used those ironically evocative licks to push himself into his songwriting career; the airwaves are infinitely more dulcet for it.

His signature style finds itself between the realms of blues, rock, and jazz; the colourful staccato chops lend themselves blissfully to melodicism as they act as the perfect accompaniment to his distinctively harmonic vocals, which ardently ring across the tranquil ease of the saturated delayed tones.

Burnt Notes is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Basia Bartz has released her feverishly pure piano-pop score, All Your Pages (Read Like Mine)

Posted on 6 June 2022
Basia Bartz

After an outtake-y intro which strips any air of pretension from the soundscape from the outset, the Poland-born and raised, London-residing singer-songwriter Basia Bartz careers into a smooth experimental jazz-pop ensemble with her latest single, All Your Pages (Read Like Mine).

Even though it’s scarcely imaginable that a contemporary artist can conjure as much soulfully demure alchemy as Peggy Lee did with Fever, that is exactly what Basia Bartz beguiles with.

Her name as a solo artist may be relatively unheard. As a violinist, she’s worked alongside Boxer Rebellion, Maisha, Ben Walker and Josienne Clarke, Dan Raza, The Penny Black Remedy, Cherise Adams-Burnett, Tankus The Henge, Trent Miller, Ian Prowse, Tom McRae, Jamie Lenman, Ferries & Sylvester, Catherine Rudie and the Kisses, Jason McNiff, The Clientele, ESE & The Vooduu People, Gabriel Moreno, Adam Beattie and many more.

Inspired by those very same artists, she started training as a vocalist and composer before releasing her debut single, A Girl at Dusk, in 2022. Her third single, All Your Pages, is her soulful take on a groove-led feat of piano pop which unravels as an honest expression of female sensuality. God knows we needed someone to put the innocence back into affection after Nikki Minaj defiled all that was sacred about those moments that are just as tenderly captivating as the swinging piano riffs in All Your Pages.

All Your Pages will launch on Bandcamp on June 3rd before releasing across all other platforms on June 21st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marco Pastoré Cammarino delivered a smoky plaintive soul serenade with his latest single, Empty Bus

Posted on 4 June 2022

Remorse may be the overarching emotion within the Italian, Lisbon-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Marco Pastoré Cammarino’s latest single, Empty Bus; sonically, it progressively drifts across the tonal spectrum to stand as a testament to the artist’s aptitude for melodic expression.

After a plaintively sparse intro that suckers you into the melancholy, the smoky jazz horns, Nile Rodger-Esque guitar chops and seductive keys make for an aphrodisiacal platform for Marco Pastoré Cammarino’s just as knee-weakening vocal timbre.

Towards the outro, Marco Pastoré Cammarino’s rock influences collide with the soundscape in an entirely unexpected, indulgently appreciated style. In short, Empty Bus is a single that never stops giving the gravitas.

Empty Bus is now available to stream on Spotify.

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

Michele Thomas lends her gospel neo-soul vocals to easy listening jazz in her single, I Know Because You Told Me So

Posted on 14 March 2022

The jazzy soulstress, Michele Thomas, has recently released her mould-breaking neo-soul single, I Know Because You Told Me So, which may be one of the most narratively-immersive jazz-fusion singles ever released.

The questioning, bold and introspective lyrics come into play once you’re suitably pacified by the mellifluous instrumental grooves. Becoming invested in the narrative that sheds a light on Thomas’ experience in the world is non-optional. Her gospel-Esque chanteuse vocals allow her vibrant and pure-hearted energy to radiate in the single that carries enough ease to fall into the easy-listening category. Yet, thanks to her vocal performance, I Know Because You Told Me So certainly isn’t without its revitalising zeal.

After finding her voice through gospel music, the Chicago-based singer-songwriter, entrepreneur and educator turned her stylistic grace to the freedom in the improvised nature of jazz. The airwaves are infinitely better for it.

I Know Because You Told Me So is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Velvet Lune spares us of our ‘Gloom’ in their riotously explosive alt jazz infusion

Posted on 1 March 2022

Southern California’s most explosive jazz fusion outfit, Velvet Lune, has released their sultriest Avant-Garde single to date with Gloom. With jazz-punk sax riffs that would give Pete Wareham (Nadine Shah, Acoustic Ladyland, Melt Yourself Down) a run for his money and the cinematically debonair crooned vocal lines wrestling for dominance in the jazz fusion track that is just as volatile as anything off Glenn Branca’s the Ascension, Gloom is anything but what it says on the tin. Any fans of Mr Bungle will undoubtedly want to pay attention.

The official music video, which premiered on February 14th, has already racked up over 28k streams. You can check out the video for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

E.G. Phillips has released his riotously infectious Timelord-inspired jazz single, Brave Heart, Luna

Posted on 26 February 2022
E.G. Phillips

We couldn’t get E.G. Phillips’ Doctor Who-inspired jazzy folky big band single in our ears fast enough. Brave Heart, Luna took inspiration from the reassurances made by the 5th doctor to his companion in times of intergalactic strife. Yet the single itself was written to quell fears of a friend; we can only imagine how gratified she was to inspire such a triumphant affirmation of her resilience.

Brave Heart, Luna obliterates the notion that only weak minds suffer by celebrating the strength of those battle-scarred by adversity while the vibrantly almost riotous progressions get the dopamine flowing.

If anyone could give Jason Webley’s rampant imagination a run for its money, it is E.G. Phillips.

You can check out Brave Heart, Luna for yourselves by heading over to E.G. Phillips’ official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast