Single Review: “I Wish You Well” – Chidi Digital and ROT8TIONS

This is an instrumental of sublime levels… The drums are dusty and warm, reminding you of old jazz records, fused with a vinyl crackle, and it just whisks me back to listening to records on a really good hi fi system, it just sounds so natural. You can’t always get that with a sample of …

Single Review: “Worldwide Ceasefire” – Rebel Control

Well, this song is a protest song if ever there was one! Sunshine reggae groove laid down in dub style with reverb which is the main ingredient of a dub track… Lord knows we need this song right now. This song is about wars going on around the world. It may not be on our …

Single Review: “War Baby” – Tom Robinson

As it’s Tom’s birthday today I decided to review one of his biggest hits.  This song has so much soul, mixing jazzy rhythms with a beautiful Rhodes piano and a saxophone solo – oh don’t forget the crunchy guitars… I got introduced to this song quite late in life, as I was discussing Fresh On …

Album Review: “It’s All We Have” – Diana Torti and Sabino de Bari. Words: Sammy Stein.

Diana Torti is a singer, improviser, and composer based in London. She has performed in jazz clubs, theatres, and international festivals. Her CD “On A Cloud” (2019, SLAM Productions) was nominated among the best jazz vocal releases of 2019 by The New York City Jazz Record. Torti is also a lecturer and researcher and has …

Blog interview: Sarah Krimson

Hello Sarah, how are you? I’m good thanks 🙂 Congratulations on the release of “Urban Melancholia”, how does it feel? It feels unreal, I’ve been working on this project for over a year and I would have never imagined it being so well received. It’s your second compilation since “Burning London”, what inspired this one? …

Single Review: “Focus” – Nyla Sings

Nyla Sings – Focus This is a gorgeous acoustic number! WOW. Nyla’s voice comes in giving the whole song warmth, over a bed of acoustic guitar, finger snaps, 808 drums and synth bass. The beat stutters nicely skipping little bits here and there which makes it pleasing to the ear. Thing is though…. It’s short …

Single Review: “When I Fall” – BRAVE JAMES ft. Oli Rockberger

BRAVE JAMES is back with a new track featuring a singer songwriter that I love and respect, Oli Rockberger. And they deliver! Whereas the last single was a collaboration with with Blue Lab Beats and had a more soulful hip hop vibe this is folktronica at its best, catchy ethereal melodies with dreamy synths, the …

Single Review: “Daffodils” – Sleaze

This is a cracker of a track, the low register vocal reminds me a little bit of Damon Albarn that disinterested tone, but don’t let that fool you because it’s a cracker of a song with lyrics that are pure one liners. The disinterested vibe is intentional if you listen to the lyrics that’s all …

Single Review: “Bluff” – Morena Santi and D’Larm

This tune… Morena comes out all cylinders firing with a fine vocal over drums made up 808 sounds, and analogue synth parts. This is the kind of tune you can easily get down to.  Morena delivers a playful vocal, which sits right on top of the instrumental, and you can tell she had fun while …