With so much good music coming through thick and fast, it’s easy for brand-new music to drop online and go overlooked. To help prevent this, we’ve selected five great albums, from across the musical landscape that you need to hear — stream music from Bowman Trio, Yelfris Valdes, Resolution 88, Tribe Of Colin, and Afrikan Sciences. If you like what you hear, hit the links and support the artists.
Bowman Trio – Persistence
Bowman Trio returns on We Jazz with sophomore LP ‘Persistence’. In an age of loudness and multitudes, the trio’s musical vision is quite the opposite of the trends of today, their music unravelling slowly inducing the desire of a closer listen. Their ultra-chilled sound is often described as “loft jazz” and this 9-track set operates in a similar experimental and avant-garde sphere as that pivitol peroid in jazz. Tracks like ‘Badwater’, ‘Mac Elliot’ and ‘Mä en jaksa are gentle, unhurried compostions that freely unfold in there own time. While the title track is full of swing and a much more robust affair. The album closing piece ‘Sista sommardagen’ has a lovely delicate feel that just sucks you in with its warming vibe. The trio of Sami Nummela (drums), Tomi Nikku (trumpet) and Joonas Tuuri (bass) debuted in 2016 with the group’s first LP, and since then their reputation has grown in Finland and beyond. That trend is set to continue with this stunning new record.
Yelfris Valdes – For The Ones
London-based Afrocuban trumpet player Yelfris Valdés returns with his second album For The Ones. Across the LP Valdés connects with his Yoruba religion and its shamanic chants, subtly infusing those deeply personal elements with electronica and live instrumentation, creating a beautiful pulsating soundscape. For this album, he says “I worked deeply and meticulously to find a more layered sound including a trance feeling with grounded rhythms.” Recorded in London at Fish Market Studios, its 10-tracks deftly mix of jazz, electronic, psychedelic and Latin and feature a formidable line-up of contributors including Al Macsween (electric piano), Sylvain Couesmes, (beatmaker, producer), Carmen Martorell (spoken word) Modou Touré (vocals), Simo Lagnawi (vocals, guembri, and qraqeb) and more. A must-listen for fans of Yazz Ahmed and the like. We get a strong sense that this one will fair well in the year-end lists. Highly recommended.
Resolution 88 – Revolutions
Every track on ‘Revolutions’ represents an aspect of music on vinyl. So sit back with a glass of Japanese whisky and a Cuban cigar (or whatever your chosen poison is), stick the album on and enjoy it from start to finish – although if you’re listening to it on vinyl, you’ll need to get up to turn it over to the B-side. ‘Revolutions’ is a hugely impressive collection; an album that is genuinely forward-thinking and boundary-pushing. Enjoy the journey.
Tribe Of Colin – Age Of Aquarius
This is a new twist on Techno from the mysterious Tribe Of Colin! Coming via Honest Jons this latest release delivers juddering bangers, hypnotic body-rockers, dazed spells and rootical wig-outs spun from early Detroit, West African field recordings, dub and beatbox hip hop; rough as fuck and clatteringly percussive, but shot through with a gritty numinousness. Traces of Hype Williams, early Theo Parrish, Shackleton and Funkineven can be heard throughout this absorbing set. Every self-respecting fan of experimental techno music should give this a spin or three.
African Sciences – All Speculative
African Sciences returns with All Speculative, a new set of complex yet mind-opening rhythmical and sonic woven formations. As always he takes us through an exploratory expedition through techno, house, jazz, hip-hop and everything in between to give the listener a full layered experience. Press play, turn up the volume and let African Sciences take you on a rich and varied sonic journey. Seriously impressive stuff!
