– THE PEACEFUL PROTEST –

You know what’s over-rated? Working hard. Sure, in the past that shit was important when blokes had to rely on a budgie dying to tell you it might not be such a good idea to be down t’pit for too much longer. In those days, it paid to have your wits about you; after all, grafting was just about the only way to stay vertical.

But these days, we’ve got Soundcloud and iPhones and Kendall Jenner telling us we can be whatever we want to be. And against that backdrop, if you can do what you love without appearing to need to get out of bed, well then, why bother?

That’s the impression one gets listening to Olivia Williams, otherwise known as Liv.e (pronounced “Liv”).

Building on a new tradition fast being formed by the likes of Pink Siifu and B. Cool Aid to mix full-on jazz musical accompaniments with mumble-rap vocal aesthetics, Williams’ delivery is so drawled you might assume it was a first take.

But, as we all know, to make an assumption is to make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘mption’ and what is hidden under the surface of Lessons From My Mistakes… But I Lost Your Number is a real sense of charm and playfulness to the Dallas native.

Specifically, check how Williams plays with the song’s ‘end’, only to crash back in with a completely separate vibe half-way through.

It’s cheeky, charming and an awful lot more chirpy than a dead canary.

If you like this try my review of Hide n Seek by Def Sound.

Lessons… comes from an upcoming project called Couldn’t Wait To Tell You which will be released later this Summer on AWAL Recordings.

HEAR MORE HERE

CHIP WICKHAM: ROUTE ONE
DERRICK HODGE: COLOR OF NOIZE
OTIS SANDSJÖ: TREMENDOCE
KEPLER IS FREE: CLUSTER 3

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 –