New Soil 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Mande jazz ensemble Balimaya Project return with much anticipated second album When The Dust Settles on New Soil in partnership with Jazz re:freshed. The group has a magical big band sound that is expanded on here with plenty of personal expression running the emotional gamut from rage to love, grief to joy. Once again they combine the African rhythms of their roots with contemporary London jazz energy as they celebrate Black power and community togetherness. Composer, arranger and Djembe player Yahael Camara Onono leads the group with Afronaut Zu, Obongjayar and Fassara Sacko adding vocals over the advantageous folkloric rhythms.

Review: Two years on from the release of their fantastic debut album, Wolo So, Balimaya Project returns with more inspired fusions of polyrhythms, percussion, heady horns, "virtuosic kora styles", contemporary jazz and traditional Mande music. It's a uniquely sweet, deep and gently sun-soaked sound - all emotive vocals, tapped out tribal rhythms, frazzled solos, dreamy acoustic guitars, glistening highlife-influenced electric guitars and sultry, soulful intent. The London-based collective has long been hard-to-pigeonhole, and it's this impeccably realised but sonically adventurous approach - along with the quality of their musicianship - that's been the key to their success. When The Dust Settles will only enhance their rising reputation - it really is that good!

Review: Prolific London outfit Ill Considered are a talented bunch, with the vast majority of their tracks starting life as freewheeling improvisations built on quality grooves and memorable melodic themes. Interestingly given their penchant for releasing a new album every few months earlier in the career, Precipice is actually their first new studio set for three years. There's plenty to set the pulse racing throughout, from the wild hard-bop solos and ambidextrous grooves of 'Jellyfish', and the 60s spy-movie jazz of 'Vespa Carbro', to the breathless Afro-jazz of 'Kintsugi', and the exotic, slow-burn delight that is 'Solenopsis'.

Review: Building on the success of his previous two full-lengths, Oscar Jerome's third solo album suggests he has not yet stopped growing as a songwriter, guitarist and producer. Following his time with Kokoroko and his acclaimed 2022 album The Spoon, this latest work delves into personal, reflective themes and was produced entirely by the man himself. It takes in folk influences from John Martyn and Joni Mitchell with the funk of Prince and early Carlos Santana as well as contemporary broken beat and jazz flair. The Fork explores self-reckoning through intimate narratives with each track offering emotionally rich storytelling and nuanced guitar work all making this his most personal and ambitious album yet.

Review: Jake Long's debut under his own name, City Swamp, is a long-awaited arrival, especially for those familiar with his work leading Maisha. As the drummer and composer for Maisha, Long was instrumental in creating some of the finest UK jazz releases, including There is a Place, which featured luminaries like Nubya Garcia and Amane Suganami. City Swamp not only showcases Long's talent but also serves as a continuation and expansion of the ideas explored in There is a Place. While Maisha's sound was celebratory, City Swamp delves into more dissonant themes with a psychedelic twist, particularly evident in the epic track 'Ideological Rubble.' Despite being a solo project, City Swamp still features many Maisha members, highlighting the collaborative spirit that defines Long's work. With this album, Long firmly establishes himself as a phenomenally talented artist with a unique musical vision, making City Swamp an exceptional debut.

Review: Malcolm Jiyane has fast become a key player in the contemporary South African Jazz scene. He has variously been dubbed "a new star in the southern sky" and "the future Jonas Gwangwa" by journalists in the know and has shown promise ever since his teenage years when he worked under legendary mentor, Bra Johnny Mekoa. He is a trombone master but plays several different instruments and has scored films as well as made albums. Now Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O (Tree-O is the name of the musician's own band), returns with a second full-length, True Story, which investigates the state of his homeland with a series of songs "inspired by real people and their stories."