A Soft & Gatherable Star vinyl

Bristol trio Jabu returns with A Soft And Gatherable Star, their latest album on the Always + Forever label. Known for blending dub and Bristol's sound system culture, Jabu expands their sonic landscape while bringing songwriting to the forefront. Echoes of the city's landmarks and personal memories, like lost parents and youth, inform the album's narrative. Tracks like 'Oceanside Spider House' veer away from trip-hop, instead evoking the ethereal shimmer of The Cure and Cocteau Twins. 'Gently Fade' channels shadowy jazz ballads, while 'Seamills' flows with a slow, aquatic rhythm, enhanced by fuzzy saxophone notes from Lorenzo Prati. Rakhi Singh and Sebastian Gainsborough's fragile strings on 'All Night' create a dreamlike ambiance, and 'If I Asked You, You'd Tell Me' features Josh Horsley's cello, cloaked in texture and restraint. With influences ranging from ambient soundscapes to the delicate beauty of Mica Levi's work, A Soft And Gatherable Star feels organic, allowing songs to evolve naturally. Recorded between Bristol and Childs' mother's home, the album reflects on lost teenage memories and the eerie transformation of familiar spaces. It's a meditative journey, rooted in emotion and subtle, cinematic sound design.