– THE MILITARY COUP –

Some of you will know Drummer, DJ and undoubted ‘hottest property in jazz right now” Moses Boyd best from his work with saxophonist Binker Golding, some from lending his considerable chops to the likes of Little Simz, Sampha and Sons Of Kemet and some from his being championed by the likes of Four Tet, Floating Points and Gilles Peterson.

If you’re a super nerdy drummer like me, you may even know him from the official ‘best video on YouTube’, in which he jams with Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso, Kwake Bass (Kate Tempest, Joey Bada$$), Richard Spaven (José James, Flying Lotus, The Cinematic Orchestra) and Joe Armon-Jones.

Whatever your introduction to him, you’ll know him as being ‘the shit’.

And now, the big dog follows up 2018’s Displaced Diaspora with this brilliant, belligerent new single, Stranger than Fiction.

The song is powered by a beat not far from Boyd’s own practically-trademarked ‘Rye Lane Shuffle’ and features robust horns and bass that feel both militant and kinda funky at the same time.

This is as grime-y as Boyd has ever got with the Londoner wearing his Ghetts and Dave influences on his sleeve. In fact the only sad part about the track is that he doesn’t have Dave (and his mate Alex) spitting Thiago Silva over the top.

So what’s the song about? Says Boyd; “We’re in a time where the state of our politics, environment and news feel more like an alternate reality. And sadly the truth is often stranger than fiction”.

What’s true – for all the right reasons – is that Stranger than Fiction is out now through Exodus records.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

PROJECT HILTS: LONELY DAYS
REYKJAVIK606: ENDLESS SUMMER IN PECKHAM
J RICK: SHORT
SABRINA CLAUDIO: TRUTH IS

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 –