‘Double Pink’ is the debut album by And Is Phi (Andrea Isabelle Phillips), a
multidisciplinary artist from Norway and the Philippines now based in South East
London. Set for release via Albert’s Favourites on 22nd September, ‘Double Pink’ is a nuanced world that draws on colours and texture; with influences of Joni Mitchell and Frank Zappa, 90's R&B and Madlib’s ‘Shades Of Blue’ blending languidly to produce a base for uncovering layers of self, a deep release, and fragile new form.

Written by Andrea and co-produced with Fiona Roberts and Lorenz Okello over a
nine month period; ‘Double Pink’ thematically explores the many movements of
internal change, speaking from a deep inner voice inside the body. The title track is an invitation to be as unapologetically hungry as you please after a long absence of life giving passion and trust in oneself. ‘White Noise’ is a recovery song playing in your soul the first time you made it back out to the dance floor after a heart break so massive it laid rest to the person you used to be. Songs like ‘Working’ and ‘Staaar’ come from a candid and contemplative aspect. Stages of grief and resilience and wonder and wisdom are all touched upon.

“The album explores metamorphosis, liminal spaces, and the multiple faces of love”, says Andrea.

“I mention love as a key ingredient, because anyone who has had to push
and pull and hold and yield themselves through great loss and transformation knows it ain’t gonna happen without love. Tough times ask for double love, a stronger heart, something like a double pink”.

Andrea’s story dots between periods spent living in Norway, the Philippines and
England - experiencing joy and beauty battling corruption and violence in Manila,
DJing in Oslo, losing her sizable record collection in a warehouse fire before making friends and family in the jazz scene in London. Every story needs a scene, a landscape, an environment; all things Andrea visualises when writing songs.

“At my heart I am emotional and imaginative, searching for freedom for my spirit.
What grounds it all is coming from a family of storytellers. My father played drums and percussion, he was a great dancer and a true collector and connoisseur of music from everywhere. My wise mother instilled in me a sense of faith and grace”.

Andrea is far from new to the scene, having performed with Steamdown, Emma Jean Thackray, Hector Plimmer, Scrimshire, William Florelle and many more as a valuable and inspiring creative force within the South London music scene. 

Andrea also created the album’s artwork and music videos: musicality and painting evolved from her initial creative languages of drawing and dance. All aspects are dialects of her common language: singing what can’t be painted and painting what can’t be sung.

Andrea says “It has been a long time coming in cultivating a first body of work and I have a lot to say and ways I want to say it. I made this music with my most cherished people, I painted every cover, and I imagined and performed these films. As an introduction it is so important that everyone gets to meet me, deeply, bare, and as quirky as I really am. I feel at peace putting this album out, because I know it is my truth”.

Buy/Vinyl

And Is Phi - Double Pink

Welsh producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett is set to release his beautiful new
album 'Days Like Now'. Steeped in organic sounds of jazz, folk, soul, dub and the
earthy, psychedelic roots of his homeland; the music has history but also harmonises with the new world around it, understanding the changing landscape.

"I feel as if this is both a step back and forward with my identity, piecing together what I like about Welsh and Celtic music and feelings", says Bennett.

"Trying to move forward with a modern approach and bravery in that I may not understand everything but this is mine to use and be proud of".

His last album, 2020's 'Tresilian Bay', was widely supported on BBC radio by 6
Music's Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Lauren Laverne, Stuart Maconie, Tom Ravenscroft and BBC Wales' Adam Walton and Huw Stephens.

The Vinyl Factory said it “Melds south London electronica and Welsh psychedelia,
along with elements of Afrobeat and highlife” while Electronic Sound said Bennett is "Another name to add to the growing list of UK new jazz talents".

'Days Like Now' started as a continuation of the worldly-funk sound of 'Tresilian
Bay' before morphing inwards to become a more personal reflection of Bennett's
connection with living in, leaving, and revisiting Wales from his now home in south
London. Playing bass, guitar and synths, the tracks were written, performed and
recorded by Bennett and as the writing progressed, he became more influenced by
thoughts of home and melodies from Wales' extensive cannon of beautiful songs.

"Now I am older, home means more to me than ever", says Bennett.

"I look back at what I took from there. Being brought up in a quiet Welsh coastal setting gives you a sense of community but also a longing for the bigger world. I like to think this record is exploring a lot of those outside influences I've been exposed to, but following my journey back to where I started, and even deeper in to the destination where perceive my identity".

On ‘Y Gwydd’, Bennett takes direct inspiration from the music of Wales, offering his
version of the popular folk tune ‘Y Gwydd’ (The Loom), first collected by Maria Jane Williams. The original words of the tune, compares the threads of life, to the threads of the loom. 

'Red Valley' refers to the Welsh who left their homes between 1936 and 1939 to fight in the Spanish civil war against Franco and the rise of facism. Bennett says,

"It's just my little nod to the humble people who saw themselves as global citizens and the responsibility that comes with that, and that their individual actions truly mattered".

Featuring the voices of Angela Christofilou, Cleo Savva and Bennett himself, the
beautifully serene 'Pinc Sunset' captures that moment when it's hard not to stop and recognise the beauty of nature.

"Whether on a busy main street or streaming in through the window in your small room, it makes you stop and have a moment of clarity and peace. To look at yourself, who you are, where you are going, and where you have come from. And whatever that is, you own it".

Huw Marc Bennett - Days like Now

Navigating vibrant influences of Latin-jazz, Tropicália and joyful grooves; multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer and producer Inês Loubet presents her utterly gorgeous debut album ‘Senga’. The album covers Inês’ experiences over the past five years, originating in Portugal, travelling through Brazil, before finding home in London.

Previously, Inês co-wrote and performed on Caravela’s album 'Orla' on None More Records, which was praised by the likes of Gilles Peterson and The Line of Best Fit. Her music has been played on Jazz FM, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 3, NTS and Soho Radio. A relentless live performer, she’s played alongside Brazilian legends Gilberto Gil & João Bosco, graced the stage of The Royal Albert Hall, Union Chapel, and O2 Shepherds Bush, around UK and international tours.

The album explores a range of profound themes including nature, travel, grief, unconditional love, separation, family dynamics, and the nuanced experience of womanhood in contemporary society. Dedications to the music, philosophy and revolutionary history of samba (‘Sambo Mesmo Sem’), everyday observations of joy (‘Guri’), and motivating generational change for the better (‘Sab Sabim’); glide across romantic harmonies and the Brazilian rhythms at the melodic heart of the album.

“I started writing whilst living in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, in February 2020”, says Inês. “I was shy and hadn't written fully composed tracks before then. During lockdown I received support from The Arts Council’s DYCP, started making demos, gained confidence and started playing them live”. In October 2022 Inês was presented with the Drake YoLanda award and went to Giant Wafer studio in Wales for three days, before recording the final vocals at her home studio and mixing and mastering in Porto, Portugal. 

Inês is joined on the album by a band of close friends. Percussionist and long-time collaborator Jansen Santana from Salvador da Bahia brings the soul of the drums, the tambor. “I always have the Bahia drums present in my mind when I write a new composition. I studied Latin percussion at University and then lived in Salvador absorbing all that heritage and knowledge”. Playing four different stringed instruments on the album, Greg Sanders is a long-time friend and collaborator from London “I met him in a samba band in 2015 and he was the first person I ever showed my songs to and played with”. The band is completed by Ruta Sipola on flute, Jake Burgess on tenor sax, Peu Meurray who recorded a lot of the percussion and lead vocals, and bassist Julio de Castro from Sao Paulo. “I was blown away by his bass playing, his swing and creativity, his ton of experience and professionalism but also his voice - he's an amazing singer and I believe that adds a lot to the magic”.

Inês  concludes, “Last year, I had a show in London and I asked everyone in the audience to write down what they felt when they listened to the music. These are some of the things they wrote: wholesome, refreshing, lifted, moving, joyful, happy, nostalgic, warmth, force, goosebumps, emotional, togetherness, transported, rooted”. ‘Senga’ captures all of these feelings and more in a memorable first impression from a highly talented musician.

Vinyl/Download

Senga

Qwalia is the experimental, improvisational home for a quartet of some of London’s most prolific and inspiring musicians.

Led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed (Joy Crookes, Unknown to Known), much of the band’s music to date surfaced in a single two-day session at the Fish Factory in Willesden, West London.

Although improvisational at its core, the band’s fluency and innate musicality makes it hard at times to believe these pieces weren’t written and developed over weeks, rather than conjured in the moment, with no prior rehearsal. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

Featuring Ben Reed on bass (Frank Ocean, David Byrne, Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded), Tal Janes on Guitar (Jordan Rakei, Cherise, Waaju) and Joseph Costi on keys and synths (Cat Stevens, Tom Herbert, Heidi Vogel), the band’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’ was released by Alberts Favourites in March 2023.
credits
releases July 5, 2024

Written by Yusuf Ahmed, Tal Janes, Ben Reed, Joseph Costi
Produced by Yusuf Ahmed and Tal Janes
Mixed by Yusuf Ahmed
Mastered by Alex Killpartrick
Recorded at Fish Factory Studios in 2021
Artwork by Kevin Bolliet and Jonny Drop

Released by Albert's Favourites
A&R by Adam Scrimshire

Vinyl

Qwalia - Abbreviations

From Budapest, Mörk (pronounced Merk) play on the boundaries of jazz and soul
music. After meeting as students, they created a band that not only toyed with sounds but the methods of delivering them too. They’ve played in nurseries, climbing halls, tea rooms and living rooms, countering expectations of where and how you find music.
Their explosive performance travels through a micro-universe of different styles, sounds, emotions, and stories; with new album 'Still Dreamin''
displaying the band's full range of inspirations.

The desert-surf-psychedelia of opener 'Astral Visions' was written by bassist Jason
Balint, about which they say it "creates the atmosphere of a peaceful hymn to
humanity and our shared, sacred home, Mother Earth".

The disco driven 'Towards The Sun' is a song about "the important but fragile nature of friendships and human connection. It’s about the integration of light and darkness - a song of hope", says guitarist and lead vocalist Mark Zentai.

South London rapper and poet Brother Portrait projects cosmic ambitions on the
moodish jazz fable 'Dromedar', with an aim to "create a soundscape that enables the listener to connect to our shared ancestry of being human". Mark says curent single 'Sweet' is "simply about trying to communicate the feeling of the summer sun on your skin after a long, cold, European winter!”. The 80's post-punk-pop 'Heaven Sent' is "a bittersweet love song about the vulnerability of falling in love and not knowing where this new experience might lead".

‘Still Dreamin’’ is set for release on 27th September 2024 via south London’s Albert’s Favourites label (And Is Phi, Huw Marc Bennet, Inês Loubet, Irini Arabatzi, Jonny Drop & Andrew Ashong, Qwalia, Scrimshire).

Mörk - Still Dreamin'

Double Pink

And Is Phi - Working

And Is Phi - Why I'm Shy

And Is Phi - There's A

And Is Phi - White Noise

Welsh producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett is set to release his beautiful new
album 'Days Like Now'. Steeped in organic sounds of jazz, folk, soul, dub and the
earthy, psychedelic roots of his homeland; the music has history but also harmonises with the new world around it, understanding the changing landscape.

"I feel as if this is both a step back and forward with my identity, piecing together what I like about Welsh and Celtic music and feelings", says Bennett.

"Trying to move forward with a modern approach and bravery in that I may not understand everything but this is mine to use and be proud of".

His last album, 2020's 'Tresilian Bay', was widely supported on BBC radio by 6
Music's Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Lauren Laverne, Stuart Maconie, Tom Ravenscroft and BBC Wales' Adam Walton and Huw Stephens.

The Vinyl Factory said it “Melds south London electronica and Welsh psychedelia,
along with elements of Afrobeat and highlife” while Electronic Sound said Bennett is "Another name to add to the growing list of UK new jazz talents".

'Days Like Now' started as a continuation of the worldly-funk sound of 'Tresilian
Bay' before morphing inwards to become a more personal reflection of Bennett's
connection with living in, leaving, and revisiting Wales from his now home in south
London. Playing bass, guitar and synths, the tracks were written, performed and
recorded by Bennett and as the writing progressed, he became more influenced by
thoughts of home and melodies from Wales' extensive cannon of beautiful songs.

"Now I am older, home means more to me than ever", says Bennett.

"I look back at what I took from there. Being brought up in a quiet Welsh coastal setting gives you a sense of community but also a longing for the bigger world. I like to think this record is exploring a lot of those outside influences I've been exposed to, but following my journey back to where I started, and even deeper in to the destination where perceive my identity".

On ‘Y Gwydd’, Bennett takes direct inspiration from the music of Wales, offering his
version of the popular folk tune ‘Y Gwydd’ (The Loom), first collected by Maria Jane Williams. The original words of the tune, compares the threads of life, to the threads of the loom.

'Red Valley' refers to the Welsh who left their homes between 1936 and 1939 to fight in the Spanish civil war against Franco and the rise of facism. Bennett says,

"It's just my little nod to the humble people who saw themselves as global citizens and the responsibility that comes with that, and that their individual actions truly mattered".

Featuring the voices of Angela Christofilou, Cleo Savva and Bennett himself, the
beautifully serene 'Pinc Sunset' captures that moment when it's hard not to stop and recognise the beauty of nature.

"Whether on a busy main street or streaming in through the window in your small room, it makes you stop and have a moment of clarity and peace. To look at yourself, who you are, where you are going, and where you have come from. And whatever that is, you own it".

Days Like Now

Huw Marc Bennett - Red Valley

Huw Marc Bennett - Y Gwydd

Huw Marc Bennett - Ffarwell i Langyfelach Lon

Huw Marc Bennett - Y Cariad Cyntaf

Huw Marc Bennett - Pinc Sunset

Huw Marc Bennett - Golau Hardd

Mel de Abelha

Sapo Jacaré

Sambo Mesmo Sem

Guri

Haja Paciência

Abbreviations

Qwalia - Valeria

Qwalia - For Future Reference

Qwalia - Majolica

Qwalia - Elevator Company

Qwalia - Omega

Qwalia is the experimental, improvisational home for a quartet of some of London’s most prolific and inspiring musicians. 

Led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed (Joy Crookes, Anoushka Shankar, Unknown to Known), much of the band’s music to date surfaced in a single two-day session at the Fish Factory in Willesden, West London. 

Although improvisational at its core, the band’s fluency and innate musicality makes it hard at times to believe these pieces weren’t written and developed over weeks, rather than conjured in the moment, with no prior rehearsal. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

Featuring Ben Reed on bass (Frank Ocean, David Byrne, Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded), Tal Janes on Guitar (Jordan Rakei, Cherise, Waaju) and Joseph Costi on keys and synths (Cat Stevens, Tom Herbert, Heidi Vogel), the band’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’ was released by Alberts Favourites in March 2023.

One year on we’re excited to share the first music from a new batch of songs. Omega is the very definition of a slow burn, emerging from the quiet pulses of a drum machine, the band lock quickly into Ben Reed’s lyrical bass line in a brooding but ever expanding ascent that you feel could confidently journey onwards forever.

Omega

“Watch out for a great singer from New Zealand called Arjuna Oakes” - Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6 Music)

Motel is a song about feeling stuck in life but using that pent up energy to propel yourself into the future. 

"The imagery of being stuck in a shitty motel room just felt like it resonated well. I wanted the groove to feel relentless, and the psychedelic production to hint at the darker themes at play."

The deeply infectious drive of this sleazy and delirious beat, dressed up in the false luxury of fender rhodes and glistening synths is hard to put down - and then comes the twist in the tail. 

"I had recorded a demo years ago and ended up using the vocal take from it because it had a rawness that I loved. We went into the studio to record drums and bass live."

"The second half of the song is my homage to D'Angelo and the Soulquarians who've been a big influence on me. It features some incredible kiwi musicians including Sam Notman on drums, Harrison Scholes on bass, Jo Jenkins on guitar and James Macewan on Trumpet."

Arjuna Oakes is an accomplished singer/songwriter, pianist, composer and producer from New Zealand, currently based in London. Following the release of his debut EP ‘The Watcher’ in 2019, Arjuna has released another six projects all to widespread acclaim. Two EP's ‘First Nights’ and ‘Final Days’ are a collaboration with longtime friend and co-producer Serebii, released by LA-based record label Innovative Leisure (BADBADNOTGOOD, Allah-Las). First Nights debuted at #5 on KCRW's top 30 Albums chart and has had extensive play on BBC6 and BBC1xtra.

Arjuna Oakes' first release on Albert's Favourites is a heady and confident statement that we're sure is going to leave people very excited for what's to come.

Motel

Download

Arjuna Oakes - Motel

Still Dreamin'

Mörk - Sweet

Mörk - Only Mine

Mörk - Dromedar feat. Brother Portrait

Mörk - Towards the Sun feat. Dom Beats

Mörk - Astral Visions

From Budapest, Mörk (pronounced Merk) play on the boundaries of jazz and soul music. After meeting as students, they created a band that not only toyed with sounds but the methods of delivering them too. They’ve played in nurseries, climbing halls, tea rooms and living rooms, countering expectations of where and how you find music. Their explosive performance travels through a micro-universe of different styles, sounds, emotions, and stories; with new album 'Still Dreamin'' displaying the band's full range of inspirations.

Only Mine is the soulful, downtempo heart of the new album. A perfect slice of summer, laidback goodness. Light-as-a-feather vocals and hypnotic relax together over the steady bump of effortless drums. 

‘Still Dreamin’’ is set for release on 27th September 2024 via south London’s Albert’s Favourites label (And Is Phi, Huw Marc Bennet, Inês Loubet, Irini Arabatzi, Jonny Drop & Andrew Ashong, Qwalia, Scrimshire).

This collaborative track brings together my creative vision and the rhythmic mastery of Bahian percussionist Tiago Nunes. Rooted in the traditions of Afro-Brazilian music, the song blends ijexá and maculelê rhythms with contemporary basslines, creating a rich and dynamic sonic landscape.

The lyrics, sung in Portuguese, carry a deeply humanistic and reflective message. Inspired by our shared disappointment in the lack of collective empathy, the song urges listeners to take meaningful action and embrace their individuality rather than following the crowd. It's a call to align with the beauty of humanity and nature, shining light on the importance of helping others.

Musically, the track’s driving 6/8 rhythm is accentuated by traditional percussive elements, paired with soulful melodies and a groove that’s both grounding and uplifting. The vibrant interplay between the lyrics and instrumentation reflects the spiritual and cultural roots of the song, paying homage to Iansã (Oyá) and Xangô, iconic figures of Candomblé.

Listeners are transported through moments of joyous energy, introspective calm, and poignant calls for connection, with an infectious chorus that’s both celebratory and empowering. This is more than a song—it’s a vibrant manifesto that celebrates love, resilience, and the beauty of humanity.

Quatro de Dezembro

“I often write music from a subconscious place, from a feeling rather than a concept. I came up with some chords that had this rebellious feeling about them, they sparked my imagination. I quickly started writing lyrics in a very stream of consciousness way, focusing on painting imagery rather than telling a linear story. "

No Joke definitely opens in an ominous atmosphere, heavier and more laden with a different darkness to what we've been accustomed to from Arjuna. But the track has an explosive release and a frenetic, building energy, reaching into broken beats in its final moments.

As always Arjuna's music blends electronic production with exceptional live performances and No Joke is a perfect way to begin the journey to his debut album "While I'm Distracted" due for release in May 2025.

No Joke

Citing influences from John Coltrane to Pat Metheny, Mark Millington is an entirely new name to the UK jazz community but one with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to bring to the table. 

Although Mark calls Coventry home his debut album and first single Overdrive were all recorded in New York at the beginning of 2024. 

Mark's love for classic jazz, blues and bop connected him with American saxophonist and arranger Kenny Shanker culminating in a trip to play with Kenny's band in a small Brooklyn studio lined with vintage recording equipment any jazz head would be excited to document their songs on. 

Recorded in its entirety in just 6 short hours, the music is a true expression of a lifetime dream and a work of energy and honesty. 

The debut single is the only cover on the record, bringing Becky Hill's massive hit to a completely different sphere of existence. 

Bustling with the racing drums and percussion of Ryan Fishler and Ernesto Marichales (Jordan Rakei), melodies reimagined on saxophone and guitar by Mark and Jackson Potter, underpinned by the effervescent piano playing of Addison Frei and driving bass of Yoshi Waki. 

Overdrive feels like a perfect introduction to this important new name in British Jazz. 

Overdrive

Mark Millington - Overdrive

Citing influences from John Coltrane to Pat Metheny, Mark Millington is an entirely new name to the UK jazz community but one with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to bring to the table. 

Although Mark calls Coventry home his debut album and first single Overdrive were all recorded in New York at the beginning of 2024. 

Mark's love for classic jazz, blues and bop connected him with American saxophonist and arranger Kenny Shanker culminating in a trip to play with Kenny's band in a small Brooklyn studio lined with vintage recording equipment any jazz head would be excited to document their songs on. 

Recorded in its entirety in just 6 short hours, the music is a true expression of a lifetime dream and a work of energy and honesty. 

The debut single is the only cover on the record, bringing Becky Hill's massive hit to a completely different sphere of existence. 

Bustling with the racing drums and percussion of Bryan Fishler and Ernesto Marichales (Jordan Rakei), melodies reimagined on saxophone and guitar by Mark and Jackson Potter, underpinned by the effervescent piano playing of Addison Frei and driving bass of Yoshi Waki. 

Overdrive feels like a perfect introduction to this important new name in British Jazz.

Mark Millington - Overdrive (Edit)

Over the last year And Is Phi has continued to fuel us with perfectly selected reworks and collaborations born from her incredible debut album Double Pink. 

Now we finally have the collection as an EP with one or two additional treats. 

Beginning with a stunning rework of Double Pink by harpist and producer Marysia Osu, the ethereal magic immediately sets the emotional landscape. Marysia was a part of the quartet that improvised and recorded the original piece, so it's a special treat to get her solo perspective on the music, a significant departure from the debut album opener. 

A new, original piece, composed with long-time collaborator, Hector Plimmer follows and maintains the deep atmospherics. As the EP progresses we're treated to broken beats from Footshooter, bass led bumpiness from Wonky Logic, brooding rhythms from D'Vo and another new collaboration with Hector Plimmer. 

Twice Blushed (D'Vo Flip)

Double Pink (Marysia Osu Remix)

Yum feat. Hector Plimmer

There's A (Wonky Logic Remix)

In Cursive feat. Hector Plimmer

This stripped-bare ballad is the quiet emotional centre of Arjuna Oakes' debut album While I'm Distracted. 

If we ever needed an example of the things that make Arjuna such a special artist, this is it. A gorgeous piano performance, cradling the sensitive vocal delivery all supported by his beautiful string arrangements and subtle production magic.

As we approach this exceptional debut LP, Lay Low provides us just a glimpse of the varied depths within.

On debut album ‘While I'm Distracted’, London-based New Zealander Arjuna Oakes draws inspiration from contemporary soul and jazz, touches of global folk, electronica, modern classical, and post-rock, with dynamic arrangements and production. ‘While I'm Distracted’ is an album about fighting for your innocence and right to be a vulnerable and honest human. Arjuna’s songwriting explores themes of identity, depression, existentialism, social media, loss of innocence, and finding hope for the future through artistic expression.

Lay Low

Named after his daughter, Matilda's Dance feels positively filled with love. A joyful explosion of rhythm and melody, it swirls, rises and falls with effortless grace.

Mark Millington is joined on flute by Ruta Sipola who lifts this energy even higher and closes out the song with an effervescent solo.

Having started his early career touring internationally with groups like Misty In Roots and Kabbala and performing alongside artists like Hugh Masekela and Light of the World, a diversion into behind-the-scenes songwriting and then ultimately raising a family meant Mark didn't follow the path into Jazz that he maybe first imagined. So Picture This, his debut album, is a blessing and a dream come true for both him and us alike.

The second single from Mark's debut album, continues to shine light on his keen ear for melody. Supported by an exceptional band, recorded in just a couple of days out in New York in 2024 the album, Picture This promises to be a worthy addition to the current British Jazz explosion.

Matilda's Dance

Matilda's Dance (Edit)

"I love The Expansions their futuristic leanings inject new life into the form. Fresh material!" Ian Merchant (Black Acre)

“Exudes all the qualities I cherish most in music, warmth, integrity and a dedication to the groove… it’s a hard road to travel when you step in the footprints of giants, The Expansions are treading that path with ease and assurance.” Patrick Forge

"Coming off something like the UK's more jazz-funk fueled answer to BBNG, all four quarters of this monstrous unit are on point on this hugely anticipated release. There's got to be a very special long-player in the works, and I for one can't wait to immerse myself in that!" Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s) 

“The Expansions, very funky! Headhunters/Weather Report inspired, and definitely worth checking out. My new favourite band.” Steve White (Style Council, Paul Weller)
=========
When The Expansions self released their first single in 2013, the laid-back jazz funk of Lavender, it quickly gained strong support from soul and rare-groove aficionados including Kenny Dope, Dom Servini, Patrick Forge and Andy Smith. A run of shows followed and before long, when someone was asking if there was a soul-jazz band around to play with, “The Expansions” was the answer. 

Although this popularity meant a hiatus in releasing music, the band have been constantly busy, playing around Europe with legendary British-Ghanaian soul singer, Andrew Ashong and the exceptional, upcoming talent Connie Constance. 

Murmuration, recorded over three days at Big Noise in Southend, is constructed of single takes, with minimal overdubs, as the band attempt to capture the feeling and energy they create live. 

Debut single Breakthrough introduced the insanely catchy but deeply soulful blend of synths and groove, but here on the album that is explored to the fullest with longer breakdowns and more expansive, experimental solos. Pocket 5 displays the, possibly unexpected, influences of broken beat and almost combative rhythm playing – particularly in the complex guitar and keys breakdown where Koor and O’Keefe layer conflicting time signatures and battle to ride it out to the heavy drum return. 

Cannonball brings warm mellowness that delicately evolves through beats, touching on bossas alongside their fundamental hip-hop sensibilities. But even here there is a raucous zenith before the band sublimely recede into the silence of the a-side ending. 

Colossal album highlight Ivory Mountain is truly an epic. Evoking moments of 4Hero, there is a lightness of groove in the first half of this soulful exploration. But at the halfway point, all restraint is let go as a live string section joins the four quarters of the band for three glorious minutes of soulful disco. Evoking sounds of Quincy Jones, George Benson and Johnny Hammond, all the way through to a beautifully cacophonous finale. 

Dragonfly undoubtedly reflects on the work of Herbie Hancock and is the most direct throwback to the band’s earlier work, which is a welcome marker of how far they have come. A quintessential jazz funker. 

The album closes with the thoughtful and introverted shuffle of Miles Away. In the final eight minutes of Murmuration, The Expansions allow space and time to take precedence, with once-more-restrained peaks and developments. It becomes clear though, that the band cannot resist one last explosive finale, as they rise with screeching synths, strings and dubs for a perfect race to the finish line. 

You can hear the influences of Idris Muhammad, Grover Washington, even parallels with South London peers Yussef Kamaal and Ruby Rushton. But The Expansions have tirelessly worked to create a sound of their own and are very proud, along with label Albert’s Favourites, to finally share it.

Murmuration

The Expansions - Cannonball

"I love The Expansions their futuristic leanings inject new life into the form. Fresh material!" Ian Merchant (Black Acre)

“Exudes all the qualities I cherish most in music, warmth, integrity and a dedication to the groove… it’s a hard road to travel when you step in the footprints of giants, The Expansions are treading that path with ease and assurance.” Patrick Forge
=========
When The Expansions self released their first single in 2013, the laid-back jazz funk of Lavender, it quickly gained strong support from soul and rare-groove aficionados including Kenny Dope, Dom Servini, Patrick Forge and Andy Smith. A run of shows followed and before long, when someone was asking if there was a soul-jazz band around to play with, “The Expansions” was the answer. 

Although this popularity meant a hiatus in releasing music, the band have been constantly busy, playing around Europe with legendary British-Ghanaian soul singer, Andrew Ashong and the exceptional, upcoming talent Connie Constance. 

But always, The Expansions has remained a central focus and the true home of these four jazz and soul lovers, with occasional trips out to the country to form ideas and practice new music for the eventual album. 

Murmuration, recorded over three days at Big Noise in Southend, is constructed of single takes, with minimal overdubs, as the band attempt to capture the feeling and energy they create live. 

Debut single Breakthrough introduced the insanely catchy but deeply soulful blend of synths and groove, but here on the album that is explored to the fullest with longer breakdowns and more expansive, experimental solos. Pocket 5 displays the, possibly unexpected, influences of broken beat and almost combative rhythm playing – particularly in the complex guitar and keys breakdown where Koor and O’Keefe layer conflicting time signatures and battle to ride it out to the heavy drum return. 

Cannonball brings warm mellowness that delicately evolves through beats, touching on bossas alongside their fundamental hip-hop sensibilities. But even here there is a raucous zenith before the band sublimely recede into the silence of the a-side ending. 

Colossal album highlight Ivory Mountain is truly an epic. Evoking moments of 4Hero, there is a lightness of groove in the first half of this soulful exploration. But at the halfway point, all restraint is let go as a live string section joins the four quarters of the band for three glorious minutes of soulful disco. Evoking sounds of Quincy Jones, George Benson and Johnny Hammond, all the way through to a beautifully cacophonous finale. 

Dragonfly undoubtedly reflects on the work of Herbie Hancock and is the most direct throwback to the band’s earlier work, which is a welcome marker of how far they have come. A quintessential jazz funker. 

The album closes with the thoughtful and introverted shuffle of Miles Away. In the final eight minutes of Murmuration, The Expansions allow space and time to take precedence, with once-more-restrained peaks and developments. It becomes clear though, that the band cannot resist one last explosive finale, as they rise with screeching synths, strings and dubs for a perfect race to the finish line. 

You can hear the influences of Idris Muhammad, Grover Washington, even parallels with South London peers Yussef Kamaal and Ruby Rushton. But The Expansions have tirelessly worked to create a sound of their own and are very proud, along with label Albert’s Favourites, to finally share it.

Cannonball (Murmuration Preview)

The Expansions - Cannonball (Radio Edit)

Jonny Drop - Last Winter

The Sunflower is like no other. A flower of ultimate dedication, it basks in the glory of sunbeams all day, it’s head constantly and carefully tracing the source of light and warmth’s every move. A superb ally to nature anywhere it is found, it has unique nutritional value, oils and seeds available to all who cultivate it. It’s the reason they are found across the globe.

This is the ethos behind Ronin Arkestra. Formed in Tokyo in 2017, Ronin Arkestra brings together some of the finest and most creative players in Japan’s Jazz and and electronic scene. The collective includes members of Kyoto Jazz Sextet, WONK, Cro-Magnon, Root Soul, Sleepwalker, Sauce81, Kyoto Jazz Massive and, of course, band leader Mark de Clive Lowe. 

Kicking it all off is ‘Stranger Searching’, where lush electronics meet beautifully executed Jazz in full story mode. A constantly driving beat push this track along through its various chapters, with each member of the band given time tell their tale. Horns from Shinpei Ruike, Kohei Ando and Wataru Hamasaki tie everything together in beautiful harmony.

Ronin Arkestra - Stranger Searching

Won't Get Better

02. Scrimshire - Won't Get Better feat. Emma-Jean Thackray

‘Joyfulness’ ft Alexa Harley is the new single from Hector Plimmer’s second album 'Next To Nothing'. The smouldering track was described for Resident Advisor by Chal Ravens as “A thick soulful laminate...multiple takes melting together like candle wax.”

Hector expands on the origin of ‘Joyfulness’: “We recorded the vocals for ‘Joyfulness’ at Adam Scrimshire’s house. After recording 12 takes of Harley’s vocals I half-jokingly asked Adam to play all the takes together, Harley is so on point that they all layered pretty much perfectly and that is how they stayed. Forget doubling a vocal, Alexa Harley duodecuples!”

Previous single ‘Somebody Else’ ft Andrew Ashong enjoyed a month on BBC 6 Music’s playlist with tracks also supported on radio by Jamz Supernova, Benji B, Moses Boyd and Worldwide FM. Influenced by beat-makers like Flying Lotus and Theo Parrish, but with the subtleties of the classic Metalheadz era drum and bass, his album 'Next To Nothing' was released on 25th October 2019 and featured guests Ego Ella May, Emma-Jean Thackray, Andrew Ashong, Pie Eye Collective and Alexa Harley. The album was covered by tastemaker press including Resident Advisor, Crack Magazine, Hyponik, The Vinyl Factory, Stamp The Wax and i-D.

Hector Plimmer - Joyfulness feat. Alexa Harley (Radio Edit)

Huw Marc Bennett creates a warm, deep, retro groove, the sound of sun kissed vinyl. He draws on Tim Maia, Augustus Pablo and Idris Muhammed as much as he does the Jazz scene and community he has found in South East London, with a streak of ‘Sain Records’ brand welsh phycyedlia running through the whole thing. 

Tressilian Bay started out as a long lost live session recorded at the  Total Refreshment Centre studios, featuring Chelsea Carmichael (Sax), Rosie Turton (Trombone) Shirley Tetteh (Guitar) Jake long (Drums) with Huw at the helm on bass and compositions. Huw utilised his human style of production and multi instrumentality seen in his project Susso (Soundway Record) as well as the glorious vocal contributions of Miryam Solomon, to mold these recordings in to this mature and emotional debut, with a subtle nod to hedonistic summer nights, whether spent on the glamorgan coast or the hot lewisham streets.

Blue Lias

Huw Marc Bennett - Blue Lias

Before lockdown put a temporary end to parties, Village Cuts were behind one of the fastest growing parties in London. Focused on dance music from further afield, the Village Cuts duo easily blend Rhumba, Cumbia, Highlife, Afrobeat and beyond with the unmistakable sounds of the UK underground. And a fast-developing catalogue of exceptional remixes is now supporting that. 

Taking the massively popular Penya collaboration, Tanto Tiempo, from Scrimshire's 5th album and giving it an altogether more bass and beat heavy workover, the Village Cuts remix even delivers all new brass section and cut up vocals for a perfect party heater. Heavy music, ready for whatever the summer brings.

In 2020 Albert’s Favourites co-founder Adam Scrimshire released his fifth album 'Believers Vol. 1’, featuring guests And Is Phi, Bessi, K.O.G., Omar, Xana & Faye Houston, Penya, Stac and Tamar Osborn. The album draws from Scrimshire's passion for jazz, soul and electronic music of all styles; from energetic Afro-disco through lushly orchestrated neo-soul to harmonious jazz experiments.

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