Crucial Material – February 8th, 2021

The year is well underway and this week is a bumper edition of Crucial Material with some killer releases across the board.

Here are our favorite EP’s, Albums and Reissues of the past week. As always we encourage you to buy digital or physical releases if you discover a release you love. Support artists and labels!

JAZZ

JD73’s Electrio – Pyramid

Led by keyboard guru and producer Dan Goldman, the UK-based live electric trio version of JD73 have released a great new live album that brilliantly captures the spirit of seventies-era jazz-funk in a similar vein as Herbie Hancock and The HeadHunters, George Duke and Ronnie Foster.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Work, Money, Death – The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Unknown Resides, Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises

UK saxophonist Tony Burkill and his large ensemble return with an incredible spiritual jazz recording inspired by the longform meditative cosmic sounds of Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Tamil Rogeon – Son of Nyx

Stellar jazz from the Australian violist/violinist and orchestral composer. Afro-Latin percussion, modal jazz and rousing string-led compositions.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

MidnightRoba – Golden Seams

Beautiful, soothing music from the Attica Blues vocalist. Roba’s vocals soar above a rich bed of jazz and electronics
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

MISC – Partager l’ambulance

Ephemeral jazz trio MISC have turned the groove up a notch on their latest album. Emotional playing and a  surreal symbiosis between the members take you on a wild yet floating ride
– Selected by ASMA

LEFTFIELD & EXPERIMENTAL 

Coma World – Coma World

Heavyweight dub, psych, post punk, and a touch of jazz from Betamax (Comet is Coming) and Pete Bennie (Morviscous).
– Selected by Oli Brunetti 

I WORK IN COMMUNICATIONS – No Signal

Between Berlin and Greece, Dave De Rose and Marius Mathiszik re-work the recordings of free-improvisors Forest Binary into fresh compositions.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

41 Degrees & KS Eden – Passed Beyond

Belgium’s Stroom label comes through once again with a mindblowing archival project of the experimental-post-punk-dub-nowave work of Kevin Eden. A captivating and trippy listen.
– Selected by Lexis

HIP-HOP

BoomBaptist, Elaquent & Juicy The Emissary – Komfort Food

Producers Elaquent, BoomBaptist and Juicy The Emissary have put their own spin on Dilla’s delicious recipes. Incredible sounds and packaging on this scrumptious beat release.
– Selected by ASMA

SOUL

VanJess – Homegrown

Melodic sisters VanJess take their sultry sound to the next level with their major debut. With killer production, including Kaytranada, their voices reach a new plateau.
– Selected by ASMA

Drea The Vibe Dealer – Maiden Muva Crone 3

The self-described “mystic punk fairy” closes the MMC project trilogy which combines all of Drea’s influences from punk, r&b, trip-hop effortlessly. Existential pop at its very finest. Can’t wait for the album!
– Selected by Lexis

ELECTRONIC

St Germain – Tourist (Tourist 20th Anniversary Travel Versions)

Funky, Deep, Jazzy. A stone-cold classic revisited some of the best remixers around including Osunlande, DJ Deep, Jovonn and more
– Selected by Akpossoul

K15 – Feel More 

Wonderfully atmospheric 4 track EP from the Tottenham native. Effortlessly mixing house, broken beat & soulful grooves, K15 delivers yet again
– Selected by Spacewalker

YU SU – Yellow River Blue 

Vancouver’s YU SU steps in with a fantastic debut album; a dreamy blend of wide-ranging leftfield sounds. What I’d be playing in the chillout room.
– Selected by Lexis

Fred P – Abstract Soul

Super deep electronic soul fusion EP! Equally excellent in your favorite headphones for a walk as it would be in a banging system in the early (or very late) club hours
– Selected by Lexis

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We also invite you to check out our main five playlists where you’ll find our current favorites across Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.