A smoothed out, catchy little downtempo bobber from a cool late-winter night in The Vault.  Makaya bounces on a flammed rimshot, Abrams jumps in quickly with some nice bass chords, Justefan colors the progression with his singing vibraphone harmonies, and Marquis tops it all off with a gorgeous trumpet melody and solo verse.

Recorded on March 5th, 2014 by Dave Vettraino.  Personnel: Makaya McCraven - drums, Joshua Abrams - bass, Justin Thomas - vibraphone, Marquis Hill - trumpet.

Steppe Smoothe

Single: Treasure 
Project: Hypnotic Joints II
Apple Music: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1672931201
Official Video: https://youtu.be/9nYK16lm8f4
Bandcamp: https://hypnoticbrass.bandcamp.com/track/treasure

Treasure

Sinos de Vila Rica

Blast Off

04.HER HANDS Feat. Allysha Joy - SO.Crates

Love these guys so did this unofficial remix of The Lung!!

Hiatus Kaiyote "The Lung" (Paul White Unofficial Remix)

"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

Subdued EP

Where Are Your Branches? (Where Is Your Fruit?)

@abasemusic delivers groove and sateen sweetness on this eight-minute stunner via @cosmiccompositions.

Read more: http://www.stampthewax.com/2018/11/30/premiere-abase-align-feat-wayne-snow/
Listen on Youtube: http://bit.ly/abase-snow

Listen on Youtube

Àbáse - Align feat Wayne Snow (STW Premiere)

Fanni Zahar - flute
Szabolcs Bognar - Rhodes, synth
Levente Boros - drums

Mixed at Studio Einz, Budapest
Mastered at Analog Cut Berlin

Crossroads

https://soundcloud.com/bluestaeb &  https://soundcloud.com/sfidelity Present Underground Canopy
MENACE l MNC006

Spotify 
https://spoti.fi/2LmCCv0
Apple
https://apple.co/2PhrctY
Fanlink
https://menace.fanlink.to/tonysendo

PREMIERE: Bluestaeb & S. Fidelity Present Underground Canopy - Tony Sendo [MENACE Records]

The In Sound From Way Out 

Residents: @aaronl_dj ≈ @original-hp ≈ @miazs-1 ≈ @peachystw ≈ @rosie-ama-cain ≈

Àbáse - Align feat Wayne Snow (STW Premiere)

Stamp The Wax