THE FUTURE-JAZZ OFFENSIVE | 6 NOVEMBER 2020

EGO ELLA MAY + THEO CROKER | GIRLS IN AIRPORTS | ACTION BRONSON | DOMENIQUE DUMONT | JACKSON MATHOD + HARLEQUIIN | BABA STILTZ | GORDEN CAMPBELL + KAMASI WASHINGTON | ERIKA DE CASIER | NELS CLINE | WILDLIFE FREEWAY

Hello again friends, freaks and fans of Future Jazz.

In the week that America conclusively decided that it couldn’t conclusively decide that Donald Trump is a bell-end, 45 RPM returns with 10 tracks upon which there can be no doubt.

This week’s Future Jazz Offensive contains new music from Ego Ella May + Theo Croker, Girls in Airports, Kamasi Washington and Action Bronson.

We’ve also got some songs you might not have heard from a Latvian producer who makes me enjoy something that makes me think of phone-tapping scandals, a Swede that makes me quite like something that sounds like Coldplay. The world really has turned upside down.

And so, my friends, if you any of that gets your vote (we accept them all here) then, by all means, here more here: Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud.

***

RECONNAISANCE

– 00:00 –

EGO ELLA MAY + THEO CROKER – ALRIGHT

UPPERROOM RECORDS

Listening to South London vocalist Ego Ella May reminds me of hearing some of the great Soulquarians for the first time. There’s definitely elements of J Dilla and Erykah Badu but on ‘Alright’ things feel more sparse, more able to breathe, more aged and moody than ever before. Of course, enlisting the enormous talent of Florida trumpeter, Theo Croker helps too.

If you like this check out my review of Self Care by Tank and the Bangas.

– 03:10 –

GIRLS IN AIRPORTS – BROKE

SELF-RELEASED

If you’ve ever seen actual girls (or, frankly, people of any sex) in actual airports, they’re far less romantic-looking than the music of Denmark’s Indie Jazz pioneers of the same name might have you believe. No. We all know airports are full of tired-looking, harassed humans who simply want to get to their home or hotel and sleep. Fortunately, Girls in Airports (the band)’s music is a happy distraction from real life; their highly unusual line-up of two horns, percussion, drums and keyboards producing some of the airiest tunes to float away on. ‘Broke’ is the lead-off single from their sixth album, entitled ‘Dive’, which will be released at the end of November.

If you like this check out my review of Pousmousse by Bandler Ching.

– 06:39 –

ACTION BRONSON – LATIN GRAMMYS

LOMA VISTA

When you host a Viceland TV programme called ‘Fuck, That’s Delicious’, people aren’t looking to you for subtlety, wit and élan. However, even for New York rapper Action Bronson, the lyric “I may not be able to touch my toes but I will still fuck these hoes” is graphic. Fortunately, the deliciousness of the distinctly Latin horns keeps me vibing along.

If you like this check out my review of The Gates by Aesop Rock.

– 09:17 –

DOMENIQUE DUMONT – PEOPLE ON SUNDAY

THE LEAF LABEL

In the UK, I’m sure the ‘People on Sunday’ used to the name of a less-than-desirable smut rag posing as a newspaper. It might still be for all I know; I wouldn’t piss on the paper’s editors if they were allergic to piss so I certainly won’t look out for it on a news-stand. Seeing that Latvian producer Domenique Dumont’s new album had the same name might have, therefore, made for uncomfortable listening for me. Fortunately, the single of the same name is sooooo good, I can probably park the song title’s associations with salacious gossip and casual racism and enjoy the soft, otherworldly percussion and glossy production.

If you like this check out my review of Summer Places by Sam Prekop.

– 13:01 –

JACKSON MATHOD + HARLEQUIIN – BABA YAGA

SELF-RELEASED

Two of my favourite people in the underground music scene join together on this one. The pride of Cornwall, Rory Simmons (performing under his dance music moniker Harlequiin) and the English trumpeter and flugelhorn player (oft compared to Ibrahim Maalouf) Jackson Mathod combine on this mix of folk scales and dance beats.

If you like this check out my review of Apricots by Bicep.

– 17:42 –

BABA STILTZ – RUNNING TO CHAD

SELF-RELEASED

… From one ‘baba’ to the next (completely unintentionally) Swedish electronic musician, Baba Stiltz releases ‘Running to Chad’ – an ode to (dreaming of) going to California. If you can ignore the backing tracks similarities to ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ and the fact that the vocals sound like a drunk Chris Martin, this is actually one of the coolest tracks you’ll hear all year. Hard though that sentence might be to comprehend.

If you like this check out my review of Sunnyland by Kansas Smitty’s.

– 23:31-

GORDEN CAMPBELL – HOMELAND

ROPEADOPE

After releasing the poignant ‘Too Many Lost’, Gorden Campbell is gearing up to release debut album, ‘Conversations’. On this latest preview single ‘Homeland’, the Drummer (who also plays keys and bass on the record) drafts in some not un-famous mates in the shape of keys-tickler Eddie Brown and sax pest Kamasi Washington. The result is something that sounds like a modern twist on an old-school car chase soundtrack, making Steve McQueen look like Steve McPrincess and Baby Driver look like a… um… baby.

If you like this check out my review of Deep Blue by Têtes de Pois.

– 30:20 –

ERIKA DE CASIER – NO BUTTERFLIES, NO NOTHING

4AD

Portugal-born, Denmark-raised Erika de Casier creates music that is a heady mix of feather-lite vocals, club-ready beats and intriguing harp glissandos. Think Banks. With added brains.

If you like this check out my review of ‘Holy Terrain’ by FKA Twigs.

– 33:12 –

NELS CLINE – BEAM/SPIRAL

BLUE NOTE

“When you shoot it, you’ll know where that extra money went” says one of the less consequential characters in Pulp Fiction. And while Wilco guitarist, Nels Cline’s side project – the Nels Cline Singers – have occasionally required that little bit of extra TLC to get in to, when Beam/Spiral reaches its climax, you will you where that extra attention went. An upcoming album called ‘Share the Wealth’ is due out on 13 November.

If you like this check out my review of Faith by Young Jesus.

– 41:55 –

WILDLIFE FREEWAY – CLOUDS

SELF-RELEASED

Wildlife Freeway is essentially the piano compositions of Sunny A Atema, with some additional production from Alex Ebert. ‘Clouds’ is a freeform, free-spirited waltz through Atema’s daydream-like state and it’s a place that’s well worth staying for a while. It’s also the first single from the band’s soon-to be-released debut album.

If you like this check out my review of ‘Fine and Good’ by Lauren Lee.

CEASE-FIRE

You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the Future Jazz Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

Until next time, love and noise.

– SV –

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