At its core “Better Now” is the very definition of what jazz should be. Exciting, unpredictable, and an honest representation of what the artist is feeling. Sound Liberation goes above and beyond this definition, by incorporating varied performances and sometimes genres you wouldn’t even think could mix.

How the album opens is already interesting enough, “Quarantine Blues” has an ethereal feel and is almost like wandering through a desert alone. The changes and additions of various instruments throughout the track give it a chaotic feel that captures the confusion and frustration of 2020’s quarantine quite well.

 Then we have “Time Does Not Bring Relief”, an incredibly emotive and creative track that utilizes two different styles of singing, one performance is more of a grandiose, opera style, whilst the other is more of a mellow RnB voice. Surprisingly, they work well together and fit the emotionally intense instrumentation of the song.

We see this style of singing again on “The difference Unhappiness – From Sadness Expensive Prayer”, however this time it takes the forefront of the song and isn’t just a layer, allowing for the singer’s voice to truly shine through and fully envision the instrumentation and ambiance of the track.  The singer’s performance on this song is in my opinion one of the best singing performances on the album as a whole, it’s emotive, luxurious, and powerful.

However, the performance I enjoy the most is the feel-good RnB crooning on the two-part tracks “Outside” and “Better Now”.  The hook on “Outside” is a well-written earworm that embodies an old-school RnB feel which I assume the singer would’ve been inspired by. The song has a warm comforting feeling almost like a sunny Sunday.

Not to mention the transition between the two tracks is done really well and makes them both better songs for it, it’s almost like you can’t listen to one without listening to the other.

We also see more of the band’s jazz and instrumental-based roots in the song “Unreachable Light”, a wordless track in which the instrumental musicians are given the spotlight. The track starts slow and in pieces, with the horn player, in my opinion, kind of stealing the show a little bit. At around the three-minute mark, the song undergoes a complete switch up into a more acoustic-based rhythm with a smooth, whiskey-like plucky guitar which perfectly captured that slick bar room, blues-style feeling.

The most impressive show of instrumentation, however, is the last track, “Vivaldi’s Hot House”, a strange yet ingenious blend of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Storm” and traditional high energy Bebop Jazz. It’s quite a clever mix-up, as the intensity of “Storm” doesn’t sound out of place with the chaotic sound of Bebop, if anything they sound more similar than dissimilar. An exciting, experimental risk that ultimately pays off.

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SCORE/Good + : Better Now has a lot of creative high points. The band has an excellent sense of creativity and it’s amazing how well they have managed to blend completely different genres together. On the other hand, there were moments on this album where I thought some of the songs went on for too long and instances where some of the lyrics and performances were slightly generic. However, this is still a great and fun project that is surely worth anyone’s time.

[I rank albums on a scale of: Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, Outstanding]

Written by Jake Campbell

The post Sound Liberation: Better Now (Album Review) appeared first on Music Review World.

German DJ and Producer, Forrest Funk, blends elements of moody LoFi Hip Hop and modern jazz on his new track, “Randomize”.

Having played numerous club gigs with many other great German DJ’s, and produced multiple official EPs for the label Breakbeat Paradise Recordings, it’s no surprise that Forrest Funk sounds as good as it does.

Just as its cityscape track cover suggests, “Randomize” carries a street-influenced, urban feel that calls back to the roots of artists like J Dilla and Pete Rock. In its simple yet relaxing rhythm, “Randomize” is that feeling of watching the world go by through your apartment window, or people watching whilst you wait for your next train home. Although no words are spoken, it’s instantly relatable and speaks a universal language we can all understand.

The Jazz themed instrumentation that echoes just behind the drums gives the track a quintessentially nostalgic feel that induces reminiscence of simpler times, no matter your age or music preference.

Simplistic, yet sleek and creative, “Randomize” is one of those no-brainer tracks. Kick back, relax, and give it a listen!

Listen to “Randomize” below

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Written by Jake Campbell

Jakejcampbell123@gmail.com

The post Forrest Funk: Randomize (Music Review) appeared first on Music Review World.

“Let’s Keep This a Secret” is a deeply personal song to Maija, and it holds a significant place in her life’s work and relationships. Maija primarily sings Brazilian jazz but chooses to write her music in her native English. She wrote both the melody and lyrics for this song and her pianist, Wayne Wilentz, contributed to the harmonic arrangement. The musicians involved in this project are exceptionally talented, and they encourage listeners to interpret the song in their own way.

The lineup of musicians for the recording of “Let’s Keep This a Secret” includes:

1. Maija – Vocals
2. Wayne Wilentz – Pianist and Harmonic Arrangement
3. Gerry Kunkel – Guitar
4. Leonardo Lucini – Bass
5. Mark Prince – Drums

The song was recorded in 2023 at Bias Studio in Springfield, VA, and the final product was mastered by Mike Monsieur. This collaboration between talented musicians and Maija’s heartfelt lyrics and melody has resulted in a meaningful and intimate musical creation.

The post Maija – Let’s Keep This a Secret [New Single] appeared first on Music Review World.

Maija (pronounced “Maya”) hails from London, England but lives in the Washington, DC area and has been singing and recording since she was nine years old.

This year she will release her new single, “Lonely Old Man in the Moon.” There are no perfect words to describe how personal this song has been to Maija.

It is deeply emblazoned in her life’s work and relationships. Maija sings a lot of Brazilian jazz but tends to write music in her native English.

The musicians on this project are the finest to put it simply, and they hope you will allow yourself to interpret this song in any way you feel it.

Maija wrote the melody and lyrics to “Lonely Old Man in the Moon” and her pianist, Wayne Wilentz, wrote the harmonic arrangement.

Gerry Kunkel played guitar; Leonardo Lucini, bass; Mark Prince, drums. The song was recorded in 2023 at Bias Studio, Springfield, VA. Mike Monsieur mastered the final product

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