– THE PEACEFUL PROTEST –

“Bedroom jazz” sounds like a musical genre that one would only wish to have allocated to one’s music should it have been created purely for the purposes of being played behind videos of large burly men turning up at the houses of lonely, attractive and remarkably semi-dressed women, offering to “fix their faulty pipes.”

And don’t get me wrong, that’s a genre that has its place. It’s a genre that I have a certain degree of (probably slightly too much) regard for.

Porn stars are people too.

It’s just not how I, personally, would choose to make my living.

And yet, Chicago trumpeter Will Miller (pictured) appears absolutely fine with it as a description of Resavoir’s music. So much so, that he invented the term for the sort of lo-fi hip hop he and his jazz buddies improvise over as part of the project.

Escalator features the talents of Akenya Seymour [keyboards & vocals], Irvin Pierce [tenor sax], Lane Beckstrom [bass], Peter Manheim [drums & percussion] and Jeremy Cunningham [drums].

Miller – who some will be familiar with for his work with Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, Mac Miller, Saba and Eryn Allen Kane, amongst others – often harmonises his own trumpet through a MIDI keyboard, too.

The result is a track that appeals to the brain as much as to the loins and is smoother than a tub of crisply-cracked Nutella to boot. Think Four Tet (but good Four Tet). Think Bonobo (but good Bonobo).

Escalator (and a live cut of the same) are available via the International Anthem-released EP of the same name.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX:

VULTURE ST TAPE GANG: PRETTY
GUNNA: WHO YOU FOOLIN
THEO CROKER: SUBCONSCIOUS FLIRTATIONS AND TITILLATIONS
PREFAB SPROUT: I TRAWL THE MEGAHERTZ

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 –