– THE CHARM OFFENSIVE –

Is it just me or does anyone else constantly mistake the name of Greg Foat’s other main project – Hampshire & Foat (with the Bees’ multi-instrumentalist Warren Hampshire) – for a quaint English pub? Or, failing that, an up-and-coming craft brewery?

It just seems like such a bloody perfect way to spend a warm British Summer’s evening (remember those?) at a riverside locale drinking a cool pint of Hampshire and Foat, don’t you think?

And, to be honest (tenuous link coming here), I can think of few better accompaniments to said languid pint at ‘The Foat’ (as it’d doubtless be referred to by its regulars) than, in fact, the music of Greg Foat.

The London-based keyboardist / composer / bandleader released new album Symphonie Pacifique this week and it is an undulating, unrelenting and, frankly, unexpected delight.

Placed perfectly in the heart of the record, Nikinakinu buzzes and hums with the vibrancy of a collective of musicians having the party of a lifetime (that’ll be the beer).

Don’t ask me what the title means. I’ve done a cursory Google and ended up on Not on the High Street buying artisanal gifts from a company called ‘Nickynackynoo’. Do I have an online shopping problem? Define: problem.

It probably doesn’t mean anything anyway. Come to thinks of it, Foat had probably had a few too many glasses of the ol’ H&F when he came up with it. The cheeky bugger.

If you like this try my review of If Only by Nubiyan Twist.

Symphonie Pacifique is out now through Strut Records.

HEAR MORE HERE

MULATU ASTATKE + BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE: TO KNOW WITHOUT KNOWING
CARLOS NIÑO + MIGUEL ATWOOD-FERGUSON: PART VI – INTO ETERNITY
LOELASH: CHAOS
LIANNE LA HAVAS: WEIRD FISHES

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 –