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Jazz

Maryama teased her listeners through the time signatures in her jazz fusion reimagining of Britney Spears’ Toxic

Posted on 9 January 2024

Though covers often pale in comparison to their originals, Maryama’s rendition of Britney Spears’ Toxic stands as a seductive exception. This renaissance of a pop classic, draped in the finery of loungey jazz fusion, is fittingly intoxicating.

Maryam Mirbagheri, known artistically as Maryama, infused her multicultural musical prowess into this track, creating a soundscape that’s as rich in texture as it is in history. Her Iranian-American heritage, coupled with a profound grounding in jazz, soul, Persian, and classical music, sets the stage for a rendition of Toxic that’s almost inconceivably intimate.

The track begins with a seductive ease with complex time signatures weaving a hypnotic tapestry that’s both intricate and inviting. It’s a bold move, transforming a well-known pop anthem into something that feels more at home in a smoky jazz club than on a dance floor, but Maryama executes it with nothing short of remarkable finesse.

Her rich, airy, and velvety vocals glide over the music to breathe new life into the lyrics while the song retains its catchy core, despite the adornments of decadent instrumentals. For those who have yet to experience her music, this track is the perfect gateway into the lush, diverse world of Maryama.

Stream Toxic on Soundcloud. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joseph Batrouney gently deconstructed the monocultural mould with his jazz fusion score, At Hand

Posted on 16 December 2023

For his latest seminal piece, Joseph Batrouney collaborated with Niran Dasika, Flora Carbo, and Jacques Emery to orchestrate a beguiling instrumental serenade, which sees jazzy smoke signals billow through the progressions in the sublime score, At Hand.

At Hand stands as a beacon of his unique musical vision, seamlessly blending influences from Middle Eastern, jazz, and flamenco traditions. Batrouney, with his profound understanding of musical fusionism, presents a track that is as organic and fluid as a meandering river, gently challenging and deconstructing the monocultural mould. The track moves with a natural grace, each note and rhythm flowing into the next, creating a harmonious and captivating auditory experience.

Batrouney’s musical skills, honed under the tutelage of luminaries like Tony Moreno, Nate Smith, and Israel ‘Piraña’ Suarez, and through his studies at prestigious institutions like Monash University and New York University, shine brilliantly in this release. His ability to infuse his music with a rich tapestry of rhythmic textures and motions is evident in every beat.

The artist’s noteworthy performances, including appearances alongside the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and tours with Arte Kanela Flamenco, have undoubtedly contributed to his deep understanding of rhythm and melody. This understanding is palpable in At Hand, where every chord and rhythm seems to tell a story, inviting listeners into Joseph’s world of rhythmic exploration and cultural fusion.

At Hand was officially released on the 20th of November ahead of the EP of the same name, which subsequently reached the airwaves on December 8th. Stream the EP on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Omni Optometrist prescribed the antidote to sonic monotony with his jazzy prog-rock track, ‘Converging Forces’

Posted on 17 November 2023

Omni Optometrist’s (AKA Mitch Protheroe) jazzy synth-driven prog-rock-driven soundscapes won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for the antidote to sonic monotony, look no further than his latest Avant Garde orchestration, Converging Forces.

Between the frenetic time signatures which the scintillating symphonic tones weave through, there’s just enough room for star-roving constellations of trip-hop to add to the superlative almost dystopic in nature instrumental score, which adds a touch of interstellar ambience to the release.

Along with Omni Optometrist, Mitch Protheroe’s creativity has known many guises; he started composing under the name Of Keys and Cages in 2008, since then, he has released several jazz fusion records and has only become more ambitious with each subsequent release. After honing his production skills, he’s reworking his old demos and slowly but surely started introducing them to the airwaves from his studio in Florida. If Converging Forces set the standard, we can’t wait to hear what follows.

Converging Forces is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

It’s all bells and no whistles in Roman Gastelum’s ingenuitive hip-hop track, Pavlov’s Dogs

Posted on 14 November 2023

After a bell ring in the intro to pay a conceptual nod to the iconic conditioning experiment, Roman Gastelum moves straight in with an amalgam of funk grooves, jazzy timbres, and hip-hop beats in his standout single, Pavlov’s Dogs taken from his debut LP, EQlibrium.

With the single and LP title, we probably don’t need to tell you that the LA-based bassist, vocalist, lyricist, and composer is an intellectual cut above the rest. In fact, if there were any more genius touches to this release, Roman Gastelum’s door would be blown off its hinges after an army of sapiophiles came knocking. But it is far from just pretentious art over substance.

The sublime sonic atmosphere conjured around the bruisingly clever bars by the artist who received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from the Musicians Institute in LA ensured that even on the 100th listen, you’ll take something new from Pavlov’s Dogs. As the cherry on the urban alchemist cake, the spacey sci-fi surrealism towards the outro is a lesson in experimental scintillation.

Pavlov’s Dogs is now available to stream on Spotify with the rest of the EQlibrium LP which dropped on September 29.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Enchanting Chanteuse Annabel Hailey Reached New Celestial Heights in Her Single, Perfect for this World

Posted on 20 October 2023
Annabel Hailey

After introducing us to The City That Never Sleeps, the enchanting Nordic pop chanteuse Annabel Hailey enticed us into a new session of jazzy easy listening mesmerism with her latest single, Perfect for this World.

“You have to be broken for the light to get through” may be one of the most affecting lyrical epiphanies I’ve ever had the pleasure of soaking in. The conceptual luminosity of the classic pop score and Annabel Hailey’s ethereally pure vocal timbre which echoes vulnerability and power in the same breath makes it all the more enlightening.

In her own words:

“The song talks about how we carry a burden that no one knows about. We put on a brave face and carry on like we’re okay. We often think that being brave is about not showing we are hurting, although being vulnerable is the most courageous thing to do. We are all broken in some ways; it’s a part of this journey. Perfection is not the goal and doesn’t exist; we are perfect for this world as we are, humans in progress. We define who we are with our thoughts and actions; let your light shine bright.

I end with a quote Anais Nin made famous ‘We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are’; making assumptions and judgments on others is misguided and unnecessary.”

The Finland-born singer-songwriter, who spends her time between Amsterdam, the Netherlands and NYC, hit the one million streams mark with her EP, Phases, which debuted in February 2020. We’re unequivocally sure she can do the same again in her next EP, which is due for release in 2024.

Perfect for this World will officially be released on the 20th of October; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

SAIDOU psyched out RnB with his latest exploration of the 5th dimension, INTERDIMENSIONAL LADY

Posted on 17 October 2023

After the success of his 2023 LP, 00ET, RnB’s most experimental entity, SAIDOU, merged wavy elements of RnB with lashings of cosmic psych and funk, drippings of 50s pop, and expressive jazz grooves to alchemise the ultimate aural trip, you might want to strap yourselves in before you experience INTERDIMENSIONAL LADY.

With a love so strong it breathes into the 5th dimension; the amorous track looks far beyond the material dimension to pay an Odyssey-esque ode to the affectionate feelings manifested by a femme fatale with an allure so powerful it makes the soul levitate.

Before crafting his own interstellar soundscapes, the 22-year-old MD-hailing artist Saidou Sosseh absorbed the influence of Al Green, Kanye & Youssou N’Dour and studied music at NYU. During this time, he recorded a handful of songs with the Grammy-winning songwriter Jesse Fink, INTERNATIONAL LADY being one of them.

INTERDIMENSIONAL LADY was officially released on October 6th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Murphy put her jazz and soul into existential philosophy with her latest single, Glitch

Posted on 9 October 2023

The NYC-hailing soulstress Murphy brought in a new era of indie soul pop and added a new trajectory to the evolution of existential philosophy with her latest slicked with jazz and hooked with funk single, Glitch.

Traversing everything from the meaning of life to its origin, Glitch is a deeply introspective hit which infectiously explores the potential of a society-shaking glitch to set us free. If the soberingly sublime single doesn’t leave you deep in thought, that may just be a sign you need to stop swimming in the shallows of perception and start swimming in infinitely more profound pools; diving in with Murphy is the perfect vantage point to take the plunge.

She’s got the voice, a mind that would make Sartre quiver, and a golden ear for a melody; it is safe to say that she’s the epitome of a triple threat; we can’t wait to hear what comes next.

Glitch was officially released on September 29; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jisu Jung took her journey of self-discovery in the neo-classic jazz release, Who Am I

Posted on 6 October 2023

After honing her talents in some of the most prestigious music institutions including Dresden College of Music, Berklee College of Music in Boston, and the Manhattan School of Music, the pianist and composer, Jisu Jung’s technical skills transcended into an ability to forge evocative connections with her innovative compositions.

Her latest classical jazz piece, Who Am I, welcomes you into her expressive world, where cello strings visualise the darkness we all need to negate on the path of self-discovery and the piano keys embellish the score with flourishing syncopation to mimic the freedom of personal growth.

As the momentum builds towards the mid-way point in the instrumental release, euphoric zeal starts to underpin the orchestration, marking a radical shift from the ornate air in the prelude to the virtuosic control of chaotic time signatures. Even though the energy doesn’t sustain towards the outro, the innate liberation in the progression lingers before the abrupt silence allows you to take a breath that isn’t influenced by the momentum within the classical Tour De Force.

Who Am I was officially released on September 22; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stix Bones is back on the skins in his funked-up jazz fusion, LEAP

Posted on 4 October 2023

Following the phenomenal success of his hip-hop-influenced LP and a string of critically acclaimed singles, Brooklyn’s most prodigal jazz son, Stix Bones, is back on the skins once more with his seminal release, LEAP, featuring Bob Beamon.

With flavours of North African Funk in the culturally layered rhythmics of the instrumental track and sparks of Latino flair within the keys, vibrancy radiates from the exuberantly sophisticated core of LEAP. While the syncopated percussive fills and seductive bassline growls set up the grooves, the horn section shimmers the soundscape with an unfaltering sense of expressive euphoria that will heighten any mood.

With his previous releases, including his debut LP, Groove Like This, Stix Bones featured on 40 radio stations across the globe and became no stranger to the jazz charts. He’s equally as accoladed in the live circuit; when he’s not opening for the likes of Chaka Khan, Charlie Wilson, and Babyface, he’s helping world-renowned artists complete their albums and playing with the likes of Soulfege. It’s only a matter of time before he becomes a permanent fixture in the Jazz Hall of Fame.

Stream LEAP, which was officially released on September 22, on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get into the ‘East Coast Groove’ with Martin Packwood’s jazz-rock soundtrack

Posted on 2 October 2023
East Coast Groove by Martin Packwood

After an installation of tropic percussion and equally as exotic reverb, Martin Packwood’s single, East Coast Groove, gives way to a guitar-driven jazz-rock instrumental soundscape, which amalgamates era-spanning guitar styles from across the globe and unravels as an inexplicably unique tapestry that breaks through the monocultural mould, note by note.

The Birmingham, UK-hailing guitarist has long held a passion for instrumental composition, inspired by a diverse array of riff legends, from Santana to Clapton. By picking up his Strat and finding a refreshing way to pay ode to their styles, Packwood orchestrated a hit of pure rhythmic soul.

If you’re looking to get into the world of groove or you have long been acquainted, you will experience East Coast Groove as four minutes of progressively elevated guitar-driven euphoria.

East Coast Groove was officially released on September 22; stream and purchase the single via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast