A classy, clever, subtle, experimental jazz and soul debut by the London-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, part of the east London scene at Total Refreshment Centre, rich in grooves, personal and poetic reflections. It’s an album to sink into, from opener Satellite to the pacy upright bass and percussion grooves, gentle piano and Gill’s dreamy RnB vocals of No Others, or the gorgeous flute and harp of Heavy and the swooning bittersweet delivery of lines such as “Bound with the weight / Of the tears that I’ve cried / I’ve got nothing I could say / But with you I guess I’ll try” or the the smooth grooves of Remind/Rewind. There’s a dark, slower, menacing hue to Shadowboxing, and Test A Small Area is an eerie instrumental full of oddball sound effects and a limping rhythm. The repeating piano-chord pattern soulfully sung and tender 2close2farr returns to a more soothing flavour, but among other highlights is fabulous, heartfelt, moving version of When Palestine Is Free, with a full jazz ensemble, with a wonderful trumpet solo, and featuring a 50-person choir, including renowned figures such as Shabaka Hutchings, Soweto Kinch, Alabaster DePlume, Coby Sey and Marysia Osu. Following River, the closer Ineffably is a beautiful, vulnerable, piano-led, close-mic signoff: “There’s a frequency of fear / Always lurking like a shadow / But this time look away, look away.” A sensual, subtle, gentle, nuanced, very mature debut. Out on Strut Records.
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