Albert's Favourites 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: And Is Phi (Andrea Isabelle Phillips) is a multi-disciplinary artist from Norway and the Philippines now based in South East London. Double Pink is a debut album of great quality that draws on a wide sphere of influence, from Joni Mitchell's tender vocals to Frank Zappa's weirdness via 90s r&b and the jazz tinged beatmaking of Madlib's seminal album for Blue Note. it is both late night and languid but immediate and emotive, with a world of colour and texture that is all blurred, smoothed off, packed with emotion and smart riffs, melodies and hooks.

Review: Huw Marc Bennett takes direct inspiration from the music of Wales on his new album 'Days Like Now'. It leans heavily on acoustic for and melody as a result of being written during the pandemic on a stripped down setup of just bass and acoustic guitars. As such it has a quiet vibe, an intimacy, a late night and low-lit feel throughout that makes it all there alluring and personal. The drums that feature are lo-fi and fuzzy round the edges, the bring a happy energy to the tunes without dominating and Welsh language fans will be glad to see all the titles are native, too.

Review: Mark Millington's debut album showcases the UK saxophonist's dynamic, melody-driven jazz sounds across some well-formed new compositions. Energetic and percussive yet deeply lyrical, five original tracks range from the joyful exuberance of 'Matilda's Dance' to the tender emotion of 'Truth Be Told.' A standout reinterpretation of Becky Hill's 'Overdrive' adds a fresh twist to the mix and throughout this album, Millington is joined by a stellar ensemble including Addison Frei (piano), Jackson Potter (guitar), Yoshi Waki (bass) and Brian Karl (drums), with more guests also featuring and making this a memorable introduction to a promising new voice in jazz.

Review: Mork is a duo that hails from Budapest and works in a world where jazz and soul collide into something fresh. They make their usual sounds with an unusual mix of tools and have delivered them in climbing halls, tea rooms, living rooms and kindergartens, all to great acclaim and with support from the likes of BBC 6 Music and Jazz Fm. Still Dreamin is their new album and is a nice track dive into lush synth work, gentle broken beats, r&b vocal hooks and a great bend of old school nostalgia and fresh, future ideas.

Review: Arjuna Oakes' Abbreviations on 7" vinyl is a delightful journey through jazz and soul. Side-1 features 'The Love That I Feel,' a soulful track brimming with emotional depth and vibrant energy. Oakes' expressive vocals and the band's tight performance, especially with the legendary Nathan Haines, create an uplifting and captivating experience. On Side-2, 'Mallet Groove' offers a contrasting, yet equally engaging, experience. This downtempo track is soothing and gentle, with beautifully played keys that set a relaxing mood. The groove is soft and inviting, drawing listeners into its calming embrace. The emotional drive within the music is palpable, making it a deeply compelling piece that encourages introspection. Overall, Abbreviations shows Arjuna Oakes' ability to blend soulful performances with smooth, relaxing grooves, making it a standout release in contemporary jazz and soul.

Review: London-based New Zealander Arjuna Oakes impresses hugely with this debut album, a contemporary soul and jazz fusion, global folk, electronica and post-rock motifs all woven in. Like any good LP, While I'm Distracted is a deeply personal journey exploring common themes of vulnerability, identity and hope in a world shaped by ever-more existential angst and social media stress. We're told that Arjuna approached this full-length album like a filmmaker crafting a feature and aiming to evoke emotion over concept. Performing vocals, piano, synths and arranging strings himself, he also leads a talented ensemble of collaborators who help him on this emotional odyssey.

Review: Although short on vinyl releases - this, we think, is his first - Matthew Gordon has been making music as Pie Eye Collective for some time, releasing solo productions via digital platforms and contributing to Emma Thackray's WALRUS project. Gordon could well be a star in the making though because Salvation - his first full-length proper - is genuinely excellent. White rooted in broken beat, instrumental hip-hop and the hazier, slower end of UK bass, the album's appeal in part stems from the dreaminess of his electronic chords, the beauty of his synthesizer sounds, and the crackling haziness of the saturated tape sounds Gordon loves adding to productions. We're not quite sure where his sound sits, but the music on offer is genuinely brilliant. We await his next steps with keen interest.

Review: Matthew Gordon's latest outing as Pie-Eye Collective, a staggeringly good, boundary-blurring album that marks his second appearance on Albert's Favourites, is reportedly "an instrumental exposition of how people experience different lives in the same city". It's a loose enough concept to allow plenty of subtle stylistic variation, unified by a consistent sonic approach that's deep, opaque, hazy and subtly off-kilter. We can hear nods to the sonics of dub techno, immersive ambient soundscapes, jazz, IDM and the LA beat-making scene, though the resultant tracks are never anything less than unique. Gordon has a very distinctive musical voice, and it's that - along with the quality of his sound design - that resonates. A late contender for album of the year lists.

Review: Recorded at Fish Factory Studios in London in April 2021, Abbreviations by Qwalia reflects meticulous editing and post-production that condenses raw recordings into seven intricate tracks. Featuring collaborators Ernesto Marichales (percussion), Miryam Solomon (vocals), and Valeria Pozzo (violin, viola), the album expands on the success of "Sound & Reason," which was championed by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs. Tracks like 'Elevator Company' transform jam sessions around Tal Janes' guitar into lounge grooves with Solomon's ethereal vocals blurring ambient and improvised music. Meanwhile, 'The Spin' dives into trance-like intensity, capturing the band's energy after exhaustive recording sessions.

Review: The evocative nature of 'Music For Autumn Lovers' captures the essence of the season with a subtlety that resonates deeply. Adam Scrimshire's gentle, acoustic-driven compositions create a soundscape that mirrors the quiet transformation of autumn itself. The album is a reflection of the shift in atmosphere that marks the change of season, with each track embodying a different texture of autumn's beautyiwhether it's the warm glow of 'Hawthorn' or the introspective stillness of 'Willow'. There's a sense of nostalgia woven through the delicate guitar lines, soft pianos, and ethereal synths, making this a record to return to each year, just as autumn itself arrives with a quiet but familiar pull.