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viewing 1 To 11 of 11 items
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DEEP 015LP
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Having gathered up praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan and more, for his lauded Crisis & Opportunity, drummer and composer Myele Manzanza returns with the fourth instalment of his series, titled Meditations. On Meditations, we see Myele revert to a purely acoustic line-up, channeling a focused and razor-sharp return to his jazz roots. Showcasing an incredible level of musicianship between three musicians at the top of their game -- including Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) on piano and Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective) on double bass -- the trio exchange motifs over the length of seven tracks. Opening proceedings with frenetic rhythmic improvisation, complimented by melancholic and cinematic layers of sound, "Crayford's Room" is a tribute to Myele's musical mentor back in New Zealand. Remembering his time as a student in Wellington, Myele shows his deep connection to his origins, manifesting itself as lament on "Winter" and "Homesick." Introducing hypnotic, contemplative melodies take center stage on "Something Old Something New" (the first single to be released from the project). It maintains a sense of tension and intrigue throughout, and intensity rises to a crescendo sending sonic particles sprawling into space. Intuitive, darker and deeply contemplative, Myele shares his innermost thoughts on Crisis and Opportunities Vol.4 - Meditations.
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RR 001LP
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Sold out, no repress. Co-released with Root Records. Following his debut EP En clair-obscur and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising name in the world of cinematic soul and funk, Hamburg's finest cinematic soul artist The Offline announces his debut album La couleur de la mer. Reminiscent of film scores from the '60s and '70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on La couleur de la mer. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline's extensive record collection and crate-digger status. The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP En Clair-Obscur includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.
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RCRD 442001LP
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Condition is the 2019 debut, full-length album from Natty Reeves. 11 tracks painting internal monologues and complex feelings across mesmerizing groove-driven melodies and brightly colored guitar soundscapes. "I wanted to create an honest musical reflection of my past year. Condition is an attempt to balance my perfectionist approach and the imperfections in day-to-day life. The album was made in my bedroom with some help from close friends." All music throughout is written, performed, mixed, and mastered by Natty, with the exception of "Living Lonely" and "Living Lonely (Reprise)" in which he brought in his good friend and long-time collaborator, Simon Jefferis. As well as being an expression of himself as a musician, it was also an opportunity for Natty to show off his artistic side with a paintbrush -- Using paintings he has created himself as the artworks throughout. Also features Alice Auer. Gatefold; translucent black ice vinyl.
Natty Reeves is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter currently residing in Brighton, UK. Taking inspiration from the likes of Chet Baker, Blake Mills, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, Natty produces music riddled with charm and honesty that blurs the lines between soul, jazz, and hip-hop. Drawing from real-life events and human interactions, Natty's song-writing is simple but potent, often cutting straight to the core of an emotion with a single turn of phrase.
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DEEP 014LP
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Following its initial release in 2018, which resulted in his most prolific album to date, vbnd returns with a limited edition four-year anniversary release of his landmark album Daughter of the Sun on white vinyl. The record features the Saskatoon-based bassist and producer's most popular songs; "Smoke" and the album title "Daughter of the Sun", which features the delicate smoky vocals and unrivaled songwriter of Katie Tupper, accompanied by the effortless instrumentation of Justice Der, Connor Newton, and Simon Jasieniuk. On its original release, the album aimed to cultivate and encourage the growth of the jazz and soul sound in his hometown, Saskatoon, which vbnd showcases from beginning to end, with clear inspirations of the likes of D'Angelo, Jaco Pastorius, Snarky Puppy, and more throughout. White vinyl.
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DEEP 013LP
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Having established himself as one of the most energetic and exciting jazz musicians within the already thriving worldwide scene, New Zealand born, London based drummer and producer Myele Manzanza has made a major impact upon the global music landscape. A founding member of Electric Wire Hustle, Myele has released five solo albums, and racked up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose, and Amp Fiddler, amongst others. Myele has developed a strong live presence in his new London base; his quartet has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, and Alfa Mist. In 2021, the first two instalments of his Crisis & Opportunity record series saw him garner high praise. Following the release of his last offering, a chance conversation between Myele and a young barista at a local coffee shop occurred -- their topic (centered around the trials and tribulations of following your musical passions) sent Myele down a spiraling path of internal reflection, spawning a new lease of creative energy and examination of new ways to approach his craft. The third addition to the heralded series, Crisis & Opportunity Vol.3 - Unfold sees Myele change his approach from drummer/improviser, altering his sonic output to a more electronic dance music output, opting for a more producer/beatmaker focused role. Sharing production duties with Lewis Moody (Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange) and taking a more producer/beatmaker focused role. His initial instinct was to create music that could be played in a club, but also incorporate elements music of the jazz and technical musicianship he's renown for. First single "Silencing The Sun" features the vocal talents of fast-rising fellow Kiwi artist Wallace, whose spectral tones glide gracefully over the pulsating rhythm section and twinkling keys. On second single "Therapy" UK soul royalty Omar weaves his trademark magic over a solid 4/4 beat, soulful key stabs and lush synths, bottling lightning into dancefloor alchemy. Final single "Unfold" sees Rachel Fraser deliver a delicate and introspective vocal performance over stripped back instrumentation as cold, angular electronics juxtapose the warmth of piano keys and sweeping strings. With a wealth of additional incredible talent (such as China Moses and Rosie Frater Taylor) enlisted to further complement the record's grainy synth textures, emotive chord changes, driving low end sonics, and expressive percussion, the scene is set for a beautiful, shifting and engaging listening experience.
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DEEP 012LP
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Quinn Oulton's debut album Alexithymia is a deconstruction of the struggle that many young men face when processing and expressing strong emotions. It takes the form of a linear story, pieced together from many moments of emotional intensity Quinn has faced throughout his life, existing within all types of personal relationships. This is a project that sees the stylistic and textural experimentation from his previous work fuse into a powerfully creative, personal, and emotive sound, channeling the album's title name: "Alexithymia" is the inability to recognize or describe one's own emotions. The album was written, performed and co-produced by Quinn Oulton, and it includes tracks featuring Moses Boyd and Genevieve Artadi.
Oulton: "My album Alexithymia dissects events from different relationships, whether family, friends, or romantic, presented as a single story from start to finish. Obsession, frustration, passion, false hope, grief, self-pity, helplessness, and acceptance are all part of this story. I wrote it in this way because I was trying to work out why I connect so much with sad or melancholic music, and I realized that maybe listening to that music was filling a hole that I didn't know I had. It was comforting to hear somebody process their own troubles outwardly when I didn't feel I had a way, or even a reason, to do so myself. Writing the album has been an extremely therapeutic process as I've been able to seek out difficult parts of my life that I'd buried because I couldn't process them at the time. I think a lot of people, particularly men, struggle to recognize and process their own emotions. It makes it very hard to share them with others, and it's something that needs addressing to allow for healthier relationships with other people and yourself."
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DEEP 009LP
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PYJÆN release their second album Feast on DeepMatter. The five-piece outfit reaches inside the deep, multi-dimensional well of what is broadly called jazz, bringing together all its diverse components in a singular, emotional sound. After setting a blueprint for their multifaceted artistry, combining cross-genre sensibilities with ferocious talent on their first two releases, PYJÆN have been busy writing and recording music for their second album, their most accomplished offering yet. Feast was recorded at Peter Gabriel's legendary Real World Studios in Bath over a full week in November 2020. This proved to be an unforgettable experience, which elevated the music and created an unrivalled connection between the five band members and the albums featured artists Nix Northwest, Elisa Imperilee, Hilts, and Corto Alto. With the recording of this new record, each member of the group brought their own specific flavour to the table. They explain: "We want the album to showcase our growing abilities and confidence as a group of five individuals, each with strong personalities and varied sets of influences, while still leaving room for featured artists..." Their new album fearlessly navigates the world of funk, jazz, hip-hop, and punk. With their trademark raw energy, their objective is to bring people together in their love for music. Adventurous songwriting, meticulous timing, incredibly tight horn arrangements, and an obvious joy to play together are the PYJÆN trademarks. These are brought to the table in Feast through vibrant melodies and rich cadences. The band presents a full course musical experience with four singles: in "Beetle Juice" the band joins forces with rapper Nix Northwest to offer a delicious tune characterized by an easy-going yet alluring atmosphere. "The Nightbus" sees a vivacious journey narrated by enticing piano, guitar and trumpet motifs. "Moonlight" sets a sultry tone with Elisa Imperilee's ethereal vocals accompanied by delightful and intricate beat sequences. "By Your Side" is the final instalment before the great "Feast" showcasing an enchanting vocal exchange between Byulah and Renato Paris. With its mouth-watering combinations of jazz, Feast is a witness to the band's exponential growth, taking listeners on a vivid sensory experience. 180 gram vinyl.
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DEEP 010LP
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Hot on the heels of the first instalment of his much-lauded Crisis & Opportunity series (DEEP 007LP, 2021), world-renowned drummer/composer and producer/beatmaker Myele Manzanza delivers Vol.2. A founding member of Electric Wire Hustle, Myele has released four solo albums, and racked up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose, and Amp Fiddler, amongst others. Myele has developed a strong live presence in his new London base; his quartet has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, Alfa Mist, and drawing packed houses to top venues such as The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott's. Hailing originally from New Zealand, Myele made the move to London in 2019. Having tapped into the vibrant scene of his adopted home with a top tier cast of young London based talent (including Ashley Henry and additional contributions from the legendary Mark de Clive-Lowe) the resulting record Crisis & Opportunity Vol.1 - London gained high praise. Crisis & Opportunity Vol. 2 - Peaks now sees Myele join forces with Andre Marmot, Jay Phelps, and Lewis Moody, as well as fellow Kiwi musicians Aron Ottignon, Matt Dal Din, Ashton Sellars taking inspiration from the mixtape format and delivering thirteen doses of exhilarating, jazz-infused bottled lightning. Frustrated by the confines of a planned approach to writing music, Myele was set on embodying a spirit of collaboration and improvisation in the project. He explains "Often the most creative moments came when we had worked our way through the tight trees and moguls of the composition and settled into the wide-open powder trails of the vamp at the end of the piece. This process was also something that I used to do all the time back in my home city of Wellington, New Zealand in clubs like Havana, The Matterhorn or The Rogue and Vagabond in a style affectionately known as the 'Welli Jam'. Just get a groove going with a few basic chords and let the music go wherever it goes?" With this new pathway opening up infinite possibilities to the outfit, the record quickly began to take shape. Myele says: "Funnily enough, over half of the finished album was recorded from excerpts of a single jam session that was a little over an hour long . . . it's funny how we can draw out some peak performances when under pressure." 180 gram vinyl.
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DMPY 011LP
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PYJÆN is the reflection of five souls. Their joy, their happiness, their worries and experiences come together in one unified higher identity. PYJÆN's story will be expressed not only musically but also with other visual arts. Consisting of guitarist Dani Diodato, trumpeter Dylan Jones, saxophonist Ben Vize, drummer Charlie Hutchinson and bass player Benjamin Crane, PYJÆN have been touring in the UK this year with dates at iconic venues such as the Jazz Cafe, Vortex Jazz Club and Ronnie Scott's as well as playing Glastonbury, Love Supreme and Brainchild Festival. Described by Jazzwise as having "a groove propelled with dynamism and formidable technique", PYJÆN seamlessly meld funk, Afro-beat and contemporary sounds with nods to hip-hop and disco, whilst acknowledging the traditional era of 1920s jazz and dance music. 180 gram vinyl.
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DEEP 003LP
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Brixton based polymath Simon Jefferis has been setting mouths ajar with his expertly crafted, atmosphere-heavy beats over the past few years. With his reputation as both a talented instrumentalist, and adaptive producer steadily circulating through the city's hip-hop undercurrents, Jefferis return to rising label DeepMatter with his debut LP Vibrations. From the golden era energies of "Back 2 Ours" featuring Austin's Abhi The Nomad, through to the silky-smooth melodies of "White Rabbit" (featuring the incredible Rosie Lowe on vocals) and shoulder swaying rhythms of "Something In The Water", Vibrations is an expertly crafted production masterclass from start to finish. With ease, Jefferis demonstrates the breadth of his musical capabilities, turning his hand to guitar, keys, drums, and bass (with a little help from his friends along the way) with incredible results. Head nod inducing beats, jazz infused keys and interweaving make this a standout record amongst the already sonically rich London jazz scene. Features Sheldon Agwu, Rosie Lowe, Natty Reeves, Dylan Jones, Ife Ogunjobi, David Mrakpor, Ben Vize, and Shunaji. 180 gram vinyl; gatefold sleeve.
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DEEP 008LP
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Following his 2018 debut Daughter of The Sun Saskatoon based artist vbnd reveals Scum Funk, set for release via London based label DeepMatter. Aiming to cultivate and encourage growth of the jazz and soul sound in his hometown, vbnd's new work showcases the complexity of the genre and its alluring effects. As a collection of songs created over the past two years, Scum Funk sees vbnd team up with The Soulmate Collective, consisting of Katie Tupper (vocals), Connor Newton (saxophone), Jesse Mcmillan (drums), and Ayden Draude (keys). With influences from D'Angelo and Michael League of Snarky Puppy, the collaboration results in a groove-heavy affair led by vbnd's signature hypnotic bass lines and production, accompanied by crisp drums, topped off with Katie Tupper's smoky vocals and unparalleled songwriting. Scum Funk portrays intense trust between the musicians with the aim of exemplifying the uniting powers of music. The LP features gritty bass arrangements supporting zesty keys and syncopated drums, which create a solid backbone for luxurious saxophone melodies, and breezy vocals. The album's heart-felt aura is illustrated in its name; deriving from a deep admiration for Jaco Pastorious's album Punk Jazz and in parallel from the movement of scum punk, vbnd wants Scum Funk to embody the idea of "rowdy dudes playing nice sounding jazz, funk, and lovely neo soul songs." First single "Slowly Starting to Take Form" epitomizes the album's strong funk sensibilities with "enforced stank". Second single "Breathe Me In (A Little Longer)" was born as a witty response to a corporate gig audience member who requested "something to dance to", the result is a powerful body-moving track, embellished with an undeniably groovy chord structure and heady disco atmospheres. Third single "Gold Chain" was penned by Katie Tupper and brought to vbnd to explore new musical dimensions in late 2018 -- resulting in a sultry and alluring sound, overflowing with groove, funk and charisma. A truly impressive body of work, Scum Funk documents vbnd's growing mastery of groove, texture and grit, illustrating a strong and intriguing artistic identity. 180 gram turquoise vinyl.
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