Browsing Tag

Jazz Fusion

Variety has released their mercurially playful Pop-Hip-Hop-EDM Hybrid ‘Dancing On Ice’

Posted on 16 November 2020

Variety is a performing and producing duo from Space Coast, Florida, and like their home state ‘Dancing On Ice’ is a perfect melting pot of influences and styles.

There’s a definite East-Coast hip-hop-influenced pop drive to the track, but like the Sunshine State itself there’s a definite Latin-American feel in places, with an added sprinkling of jazzy beats, and just enough ‘EDM’ to add sparkle. There’s an ‘Akon’ feel to the vocal, for sure, and enough tempo and stylistic shifts to constantly entice your attention. ‘Dancing On Ice’ waits until you think you know where it’s going before playfully mixing things up with an impish little grin. It’s mercurial, whimsical, and mischievous; that can never be a bad thing, right?

‘Dancing On Ice’ is on Spotify. Follow Variety on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Indiana Heights put a modernist spin on Prog Rock-Fusion with “In the Thick of Things”

Posted on 15 November 2020
Indiana Heights

Indiana Heights treated us to a preview of forthcoming single In the Thick of Things which offers a modernist Avant-Garde spin on time-old tones.

There may be a serious amount of pioneering complexity within In the Thick of Things, but the Boston-based Prog Rock-Fusion 5-piece succeeded in making it alluringly accessible from the first hit.

With the bendy throbs of the bass, the eccentricity of the Jazzy piano progressions and the ardent passion which blasts from the sax, In the Thick of Things could only be described as mesmeric and insane in equal measure.

A frenetic Jim Jones-esque energy runs through the Jazzy Funk-laden ensemble – especially with the vocals – but the soundscape remains radio-ready all the same.

You can check out Indiana Heights via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Martin Mayer – ‘Carol Of The Bells’: Cinematically Prodigal Jazz-Laden Piano Pop-Rock

Posted on 14 November 2020

The Beijing Times describes Canadian pianist and composer Martin Mayer as “Canada’s Prince Of The Piano”, and with ‘Carol Of The Bells’ – a soaring, shifting, ringing three-minute eighteen-seconds instrumental track of rolling drums and searing piano melody – Mayer is certainly doing everything to prove himself worthy of that title.

An instrumental fusion of pop-rock, smooth mellow jazz, and strict classical discipline, ‘Carol Of The Bells’ rings and chimes its way through key shifts and tempo switches, alternately lifting and dropping  through the full dynamic range to produce an explosive, energetic track.

Mayer’s most recent album, ‘Unbreakable’, was listed as one of the top 25 New Music Critiques of 2018 by Music Connection Magazine, whilst Canada’s National Post predicts that Mayer is “Poised to take over the world stage”. On the basis of ‘Carol Of The Bells’, that truth is close to undeniable.

Hear ‘Carol Of The Bells’ on Spotify; follow Martin Mayer on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

BermudaCal serves a perfect slice of old school mellow hip hop with “Smoke In My Eyes”

Posted on 5 November 2020

Kicking off with smooth, mellow piano and jazzy saxophone before dropping in the hi-hat beats, BermudaCal’s “Smoke In My Eyes” is a perfect slice of old school mellow hip hop with lashings of smooth soul, jazzy stylings, and hints of old school R’n’B.

Melodic, complex, and perfectly driven without being brash, “Smoke In My Eyes” fuses BermudaCal’s jazz background, modern UK Garage, and rap with Cal’s saxophone prowess and lyrical grooves, blending Mac Miller with Post Malone and Frank Ocean to create a unique, old-style-yet-brand-new whole. Chilled, sexual, and beautiful, mellow yet never lacking in energy, “Smoke In My Eyes” could grace a hundred smooth-grooves compilations and sophisticated dinner party backgrounds this autumn.

Check out “Smoke In My Eyes” on Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes

Newah and Amber Prothero have jazzed up the airwaves with their Electro Pop single “Let It Burn”

Posted on 30 October 2020

Newah & Amber Prothero found the perfect balance between sensuality, soul and jazz-laden ecstasy in their new electro jazz pop hit “Let It Burn”.

The UK-based duo brought a brand-new meaning to the term let it burn. They tear the narrative away from arson and offer inspiration through their lyrics which invite you to embrace the fire within. So, if you’ve been feeling a little stagnant lately, Let it Burn is the perfect aural warmer. It brings Electro Jazz into the mainstream while never compromising on the earworm accessibility.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who will be hoping that there will be more to come from the already iconic duo. They’re firmly affixed to our radar.

You can check out Let it Burn for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Utterly, beautifully, helplessly smitten – Imagesong’s “Lost In You”

Posted on 29 August 2020

When you feature such luminaries as Jazz chanteuse Alexis Cole (possibly the greatest singer ever to hold a top-secret military security clearance), the Grammy-nominated pianist Mike Eckroth (John Scofield’s New Quartet), and saxophonist Marc Phaneuf (Quincy Jones, LA Philharmonic, Aretha Franklin, Iggy Pop…) to showcase your songwriting talents, you’d better hope that your craft is up to the same standard as your performers.

Thankfully, for songwriter and poet Connie Marotta AKA Imagesong, it is. In spades. ‘Lost In You’, from the ‘Imagesong Presents’ portfolio, is everything you could hope for; late-night laid-back New York Jazz Club cool, Eckroth’s beautifully sparse keys perfectly complimenting Cole’s sultry, smoky vocal timbre and Phaneuf’s subtly understated baritone sax fills. ‘Lost In You’ is stunning, seductive, the aural equivalent of twenty-year-old scotch on the rocks and a slowly burning Chesterfield. Gorgeous.

Imagesong’s single Lost in You is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes

The Fabulous Red Diesel add some stunning jazz to our lives on ‘Mama Josie Said – The Queensbury House Session’

Posted on 18 August 2020

The Fabulous Red Diesel return with a jazz-filled gem with ‘Mama Josie Said – The Queensbury House Session‘.

The Fabulous Red Diesel are all about original off the wall jazz-fusion, funky mayhem, flute and sparkly tuba soul. This style of music is such a fine way to get over 2020 due to the authenticity that the band shows. You don’t get too many bands like this anymore. The whole band seems perfectly in sync and play with such joy and happiness. After starting to play together in Hastings in 2006, this eclectic gaggle of musical inventors have been creating their own brand of jazz and acoustic soul that lights up the stage and our hearts. This is fine music that can be enjoyed by all humans- young and old.

This is a conversation between the amazing singer Mama Josie & the band. This happened while they were working some harmonies out at the rehearsal space in Queensbury House.

The Fabulous Red Diesel are a fine jazz band with lots of offer as they cruise in with a stunning song called ‘Mama Josie Said – The Queensbury House Session‘. I love this song and this has calmed down my heart in this wold full of madness.

Stream here via the Soundcloud link and enjoy the jazzy vibes.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Matilda Bond has made her RnB Soul debut with “Midnight”

Posted on 16 June 2020

Midnight is the debut release from Brighton-based Swedish RnB singer-songwriter Matilda Bond. It may be roots-deep, but that didn’t dilute the vitality of the viscerally captivating soundscape.

The accordance of the light and lofty Jazz-infused instrumentals carve sweet harmonies which exude a slick Neo-Soul groove are perfectly paired with the artists strikingly fierce vocals.

Reminiscences between Matilda Bond and Amy Winehouse are easy to make. Alluding to her magnetically fierce energy is a far harder feat. There’s a rare urgency behind her expression which affirms the level of passion projected into Midnight.

Naturally, we can’t wait to hear what comes next from the breaking artist.

You can check out Midnight which was released in April 2020 for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Keep up to date with the artist’s new releases via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Erol Sabadosh has dropped their smoothest Hip Hop Earworm Yet with “Staring at the Sun”

Posted on 20 May 2020

For their latest tension-stripping feat of Jazz-layered downtempo Hip Hop “Staring at the Sun”, Erol Sabadosh teamed up with Ron Wayne to create an unforgettably cathartic playlist staple.

Through steady beats, soothing blasts of sax and the magnetically immersive Rap verses which will take you right back to the time when the Fresh Prince was king, listening to Staring at the Sun isn’t something that can be done half-heartedly.

If it weren’t for the deep grooves and lashings of Funk, Staring at the Sun would fall on the more ambient side of Hip Hop, but there’s plenty of energy to leave you feeling adrenalized from the moment you hit play.

You can check out the official lyric video to Staring at the Sun which dropped on May 9th for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hatty Keane – Diggin’ You: Stylistically Fierce Retro Soul

Posted on 12 April 2020

Breaking Neo-Soul artist Hatty Keane has proven that soul and attitude can go hand in hand with her strikingly Funk-soaked latest single “Diggin’ You”.

From the first few notes in the prelude, you’re immersed in the snappy electronic beats which are joined by smooth Jazz licks until the instrumentals reach peak momentum and you’re well and truly locked into the magnetic groove of Diggin’ You.

Any fans of Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith and Lana Del Ray will undoubtedly see the appeal in this firestorm of a radio-ready hit. Yet, you can expect plenty more than assimilation.  You’ll never have heard anything quite like Hatty Keane’s stylistically fierce approach to Retro Soul before.

As Diggin’ You is the first track to be released from Hatty Keane’s EP “Nostalgia”, you’ll definitely want her on your radar.

You can check out Diggin’ You by heading over to Spotify where you’ll also find Hatty Keane’s previously released singles.

Review by Amelia Vandergast