– THE CHARM OFFENSIVE –

I remember the good old days of being a student. In my experience, it involved plenty of pizza, too much Hollyoaks, questionable hygiene, too much Hollyoaks and not much sunlight. And too much Hollyoaks.

What it didn’t include was gigging alongside the likes of Submotion Orchestra, Ruby Rushton and Emma-Jean Thackray.

But that’s exactly what it involves for the Leeds College of Music students that make up Project Hilts (though it’s entirely possible it involves the other stuff too.)

The emerging jazz outfit’s most obvious (and unusual) genre crossover is with grime but they also incorporate elements of hip-hop, latin and soul.

And that isn’t where the blending stops. In fact, everywhere you look in the band you’ll find combinations that compliment and contrast in the best possible ways.

Lizzie Berchie and Liv Browning’s wonderfully harmonised vocals provide the ‘sweet’ to the ‘sour’ of Lewisham MC Hilts (Danny Hilton). Elsewhere, Paolo Mazzoni and Charlie Jo Cooper provide the track with duel-threat percussive propulsion.

Finally, Aidan Newland’s sax and Felix Burling’s trumpet accent tastefully over the smooth keys and bass of Glen Leach and Jacob FD.

Lonely Days (on the Playlist) is the band’s debut single and has, since release, been complemented by a live cut of It Ain’t Worth It (video above).

If they can keep away from the Hollyoaks, they could go somewhere, this lot.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

MOSES BOYD: STRANGER THAN FICTION
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 –