Wonderfully uplifting, stirring, classic, soaring soul and dynamic jazz by the UK-based duo of singer Kojo Degraft-Johnson and producer Barney Lister, in this follow-up to 2024’s Volume 1, adding some more contemporary music elements but still with a positive energy to address our troubled times. Opener Angels starts with a familiar syncopated, rolling drums and that Marvin Gaye and gospel 70s feel, while Wanna Know (Ontario), a song about missing someone, gives it a different emphasis with a few sprinkles of electronica. Man meanwhile address toxic and insecure masculinity and ways to address it, with a flowering of retro sounds including polyrhythms and a jazz-inflected flute solo. After the slowburn of Sierra, one of the clear highlights, Flicker, sees Kojo sing about the temptation to give yourself emotionally to people who don’t deserve it over a Ghanaian highlife riff and a dancefloor-filling bassline. But perhaps a favourite, and Song of the Day, is Wandering Attention is more of a smouldering menace of the city and dark times. More Than You Are Now is a gentler closing track with a free, relaxed, summery, and emancipatory effect. A joyously positive release of undoubted class. Out on Dead Oceans. Volume 1 is also shown below.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new songs and albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: