Stix Bones’ latest album, Breaks from the Soul Vol.2, starts with the swinging smoky jazz grooves in the standout single, Phearless. Standing as a testament to the Brooklyn-based artist’s reverence for the timeless genre, the instrumental single is a disarming triumph; the quintessentially complex time signatures don’t miss a beat while leading you into rhythmic arrest. The funky basslines claw against the bright timbre of the horn stabs, while the percussive fills provide a solid backbone with perfect alignment.
Stix Bones started his career in the industry by touring with the Godfather of the Noise, Rahzel. After stamping his passport in the UK and across Europe with Rahzel, Stix toured the states with the infinitely accoladed Jessica Care Moore before Stix took the position of music director for Lyricist Lounge, which saw him collaborating with De La Soul, Q-Tip and more. His jazzy ensembles can be heard on major TV shows, including The Real House Wives of Miami and in the film Raise Up. Whatever his next move is, it is likely to be a luminary one.
Listen to the Breaks from the Soul, Vol. 2 LP in full via Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast