– THE CHARM OFFENSIVE –

If you can listen to the first four bars of Capillary and not laugh, whoop, holler or cuss, you are either a super-cool human being (and I fundamentally, therefore, don’t trust you) or you’re an inanimate object with no brain, heart, emotions or musical appreciation. You’re probably a wardrobe, in fact. In which case, kudos for being able to at least read this blog.

Human Bloom’s intended break-through hit is a “soul-jazz-fusion” (as they describe themselves) standard in the making.

And, following on from their 2016 debut Nightshade, the Chicago duo’s time certainly seems to be now.

The above video is their entry into NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest; a competition previously won by such luminaries and favourites of this blog as Tank and the Bangas and Naia Izumi.

And, clearly, what is most striking is how singer Imani Rousselle’s smile is as prodigious and persuasive as her vocal talent.

But what’s also apparent is how, despite being phenomenally gifted musicians themselves, Rousselle and guitar player Jackson Shepard make music that allows all their supporting cast have space to express themselves.

The whole band is tighter than a crab’s arse (you’d have to be to cope with all those breaks), the sax solo couldn’t be cheekier if Dennis the Menace had bog-washed the original musician and nicked his instrument and the whole thing is a drumming masterclass to understate things to the max.

Capillary is just released as a single currently. No word of an album as yet.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

KATE TEMPEST: HOLY ELIXIR
SKINNY PELEMBE: NO BLACKS, NO DOGS, NO IRISH
CID RIM FEAT. LYLIT: FURTHER
JJ WHITEFIELD: YELLOW SARI

P.S. You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the 45 RPM 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.

– SV –