Young レコード& CD

Review: Young Turks clearly believe that Tahlilah Barnett, formerly known as Twigs (hence the FKA Twigs pseudonym) is a star in the making. They plucked her from obscurity last year and have since released a number of highly regarded singles. This debut album expands on her EPs to date, showcasing her woozy, intricate take on post-R&B. Naturally, her vocals - fragile and evocative, sounding not unlike Kate Bush on occasions - take centre stage, riding a bed of layered-up head-nodding rhythms, post dubstep grooves, trip-hop soundscapes, fizzing electronics and bubbling synthesizers. It's an intoxicating brew, all told, and one that delivers further proof of Barnett's immense potential.

Review: Romy Madley Croft continues to explore her solo career - as seems to be the inevitable prophesied path of of The xx member trifecta - with Mid Air. Collabs with Fred Again and Beverly Glenn-Copeland here thematically match Romy's implicit vision: to exploring the ever-thinning dividing line between heartfelt rave music and sounds for personal, teary-eyed catharsis moments. Edging ever-more into a more party-pop direction (contrastion to her prior projects' enduring indie tinge), Romy gets far trancier with things on the likes of 'Strong' and 'The Sea', even verging on Eurodance in short bursts. Other moments of downtime further express the many angles of Romy's personal ecstasy, citing the project as a dedication to queer clubbing and a mitigation of loneliness.

Review: It feels like Romy's debut album has been a long time coming, but it's absolutely worth the wait. Stepping to one side of the imposing shadow of her band The xx, the world-famous singer-songwriter has taken her time to deliver something sincere and vulnerable which opens up her world and celebrates the places she's found sanctuary. Having worked extensively with production wonder boy Fred Again, writing for other artists, the two finally funnelled their creative chemistry into songs for Romy which now result in a perfect nugget of pop-club with aeons of space for all the feelings to swirl. It's immediate and catchy, but elegant in equal measure, and certain to lodge Romy in the pantheon of modern pop titans for sensitive souls.

Review: Having previously worked with SBTRKT, Kanye West, Drake, Jesse Ware and Frank Ocean, amongst others, Sampha is no newcomer. This, though, is the British singer, songwriter and producer's debut album, and it's something of an understated gem. One particularly enthusiastic reviewer called it "an R&B album for the ages"; while that may be pushing it a bit, there's no denying that Process is an impressive collection of tracks. The beats are inventive, the electronics crisp, the samples carefully chosen, and the musical touches pitched just right. At the centre of it all stands Sampha, delivering thoughtful, heartfelt and sometimes poignant lyrics in his wonderfully evocative voice.

Review: Catharsis runs through the debut solo album from Oliver Sim, best known to most of us as the bassist-singer from The XX. A record that's about pulling back the curtain to reveal who he really is - surprising, considering The XX's output always felt heart-on-sleeve - even the vocal delivery feels more honest, less whispered, no longer hidden beneath effects and subtle textures.

Hideous Bastard is in many ways also less produced, more human. And by that we mean theatric, dramatic, packed with artistic ideas, and the feeling of someone coming of age to finally feel comfortable in their own skin letting us in. Inventive to the last, it's forward thinking alternative electronic-pop-rock-indie fare but, more significantly, it's an act of sharing - from his own HIV diagnosis at 17 (the first time he has publicly discussed the illness) to thoughts about the industry and society itself.

Review: There's a growing feeling both inside and outside jazz that Kamasi Washington could well turn out to be one of the style's all-time greats. He's certainly making all the right moves, delivering thought-provoking concept albums of eyebrow-raising length that simply refuse to settle on one sound, rhythm, style or sub-genre. Heaven & Earth, his first album for almost three years, continues this trend, comprising angry instrumental answers to America's growing issues with class division and racism, Rotary Connection style workouts, Sun Ra-esque spiritual workouts, funk and soul-influenced burners, spiraling choral and orchestral affairs, and electric fusions of rubbery synth-funk and mind-altering jazz-blues. Typically, the results are never less than sublime, with Washington's virtuoso saxophone playing taking centre stage throughout.

Review: Renowned musician Kamasi Washington is best known for his jazz work but on this latest album he explores the world of dance music. Fearless Movement arrives on Young Records after his monumental previous works like The Epic in 2015 and Heaven and Earth in 2018. On it, Washington's new approach finds him delving into terrestrial rhythms and showcases collaborations with esteemed artists including Thundercat, George Clinton, and Andre 3000. Departing from his signature celestial grandeur, this album embraces diverse influences from jazz to Latin, funk, to hip-hop. Another key aspect is Washington's collaboration with his daughter and an array of musical icons that all result in a vibrant fusion of sounds and a fresh perspective on musical connectivity.

Review: Kamasi Washington is one of modern jazz's most innovative and adventurous talents, especially when serving up his vast albums. Fearless Movement is another testament to that which serves as a wild sonic journey through jazz, funk, and soul, all while showcasing the saxophonist's virtuosity and vision. Across its 12 tracks, Washington weaves intricate melodies with pulsating rhythms to create a dynamic and immersive listen. From the soaring solos to the tight ensemble playing, each moment is filled with energy and emotion and the ambitious compositions and powerful performances never fail to leave you listening on in awe and wonder. Washington really pushes the boundaries of contemporary jazz while paying homage to its rich traditions here with masterful storytelling that leaves a lasting impression.

Review: Arriving five years after the London trio's last album 'Co-Exist', this third effort shows a band ready to make a bold step on from the sound that haunted radio and TV links alike around the start of this decade. And in what could be said to be a move from innocence to experience, they're doing so with hitherto unrevealed confidence and chutzpah..'I See You' expands on their trademark intimate melancholia with considerable finesse, yet longtime fans shouldn't worry too much about them losing their gloomy charm in the process - more so this is a band brandishing an expanded palette where once they were content to paint their room black.