Juno Recommends Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz: April 2022

Review: Something of an all-star affair here, as Sacred Rhythm main man Joaquin "Joe" Clausell sprinkles some of his remix magic over 'Inner Light', one of the standout cuts from Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella's 2021 album People Need People. Whereas the original was a richly percussive, dubbed-out future jazz-goes-dub house affair, Clausell's versions are warmer, looser, jazzier and deeper. Check first the A-side 'Cosmic Arts Version', where Rasahan Ahmad's poetic spoken word vocal rises above broken beats, layered jazz horns, warm bass, glistening guitar kicks and warming electric piano keys. The flipside 'Cosmic Arts Version' is, if anything, even better, delivering dubbed-out percussion, mazy trumpet solos and trippy effects aplenty. In a word: essential!

Review: During the most intense portion of the global Coronavirus pandemic, Fred P ratcheted up his productivity. As a result, he's treated us to umpteen albums over the last couple of years, most of which shuffled between trippy deep house, off-world techno, new age house and ambient excursions. Oasis, his latest double-vinyl set, is notably warmer and more organic in feel, with his usual gorgeous synthesizer sounds and far-sighted electronics being combined with more organic-sounding drums, broken house rhythms, rubbery bass guitar and audible nods towards jazz-funk and UK broken beat. It's a hugely attractive and immersive sound that brilliantly balances club-ready weight and structure with oodles of machine soul and a genuine love of sweaty, pots-and-pans percussion.

Review: After the breakout success of his 2019 debut album Fyah, Theon Cross is back with his hotly anticipated follow-up. The British tubist and trombonist is right at the vanguard of young, modern jazz, playing an integral role in scene-leading bands Sons of Kemet and Moses Boyd Exodus, and his second album reaffirms his vision in dazzling style. The contemporary sound of British jazz is all about embracing new modes alongside the core skills and traditions of the culture, and Cross demonstrates this across every inch of Intra-I. The tuba never sounded so futuristic, and Cross' virtuoso playing folds into slick electronic processes with a fluidity that comes from within. Cross embodies this hybridised music like only he can, making a vital creative statement in the process.

Review: This is the 3rd solo release from Meftah under his own Musha Publishing imprint, bringing another strong batch of tracks for all kinds of music heads. After his debut release 'Information Travels Through', Meftah followed up with a digital beat tape that only teased what was to come on the next record, and with this, he delivers. In true "Detroit Beat Down" fashion, Meftah's 'Life-Like' EP is a fresh perspective from the Motor City, while still remaining familiar to his roots.

Review: Tireless new music crusader Gilles Peterson and his revered Brownswood label hit a fifth volume of their suer Future Bubbler series here. Always this is a mix of essential new sounds from red hot new acts who are exploring the areas between existing genres. Every tune is lush, frankly, from the airy opening bars of Magoya's 'The Most Beautiful Lie' to the soulful jazz vocals of Ella Knight via Shakira Alleyne's devastating vocoder vocals on 'Floating Soul' which pairs pain with enlightenment. Another cool collection.

Review: Uwe Schmidt's SeNor Coconut project was a delightful curio of the 00s, as he took a break from myriad techno aliases to create vibrant Latin covers of pop hits. Drawing from the first Coconut album, 2003's Fiesta Songs, this 7" revisits two of the most successful re-versions Schmidt created. On the A side we have a luxurious take on an already luxurious anthem, Sade's 'Smooth Operator'. This is no token sprinkling of salsa samples, but a startlingly accurate homage to the Latin music tradition which is as sincere as it is fun. The same goes for the version of 'Beat It' on the B side, which turns the tempo up and embraces some frantic percussion diversions in the middle of the action.

Review: Galathea's self titled debut long player from 2021 picked up high fan and critical praise around the world for its unique blend of tropical vibes and a wide array of genres. Oe of the many standout on it was the 'Samba De Sausalito' tune, which was originally composed by Nicaraguan percussionist Chose "Chepito" Areas. It now gets pressed up in slightly different form as with a new mix on the flip on this 7" on Space Echo. The a-side is a driving groove for the club with layered chords and hypnotic synths and the reverse is a different beast. It mixes up the original samba vibes with fresh Afro touches from The Invisible Session to explosive effect.

Review: Polish quartet Bloto arrive with a much anticipated new album on the fantastic Astigmatic Records label. The artwork alone, in our view, is worth the entry fee, but the music is just as special. The talented outfit combine heavy, instrumental hip-hop and rap inspired drums with some mad, on the fly and improvised jazz licks. It results in a sound that is brilliantly fresh and expansive and one that draws you into deep to their wonderful world of sound. As good for a close headphone listen as it would be for club deployment, this a brilliantly dynamic and inventive work.