The 2022 Mercury Prize-winning London Afrobeat-jazz ensemble fronted by Femi Koleoso return with a wonderfully infectious, warm and engaging LP inspired the idea of unself-conscious movement and a themed around narrative set across a night in the city. The album is interspersed with a series of Acts sections, chamber orchestra and spoken reflections on the nature and culture of pure, unabashed dance (“dance is life … you can’t be angry when you’re dancing … so keep doing it,” for example we hear on Act 3 Elements). With the Intro piece setting the by the burble of a party crowd, the album jumps into a sprightly Afrobeat pace with The Herald, punctuated by James Mollison and Ife Ogunjobi’s brass, a style revisited a few songs later with the live clap alongs of Ajala. As ever with sibling TJ also on percussion, there’s a highlife groove and delicate guitar on Palm Wine, a simply insistent tone, pitch and beat on Hear My Cry which is mesmeric and breaks into a joyous chorus, while fabulous Latin flavours colour the track Shaking Body. Why I Smile and Everybody play are more reflective, late-night jazz compositions filled with diversity and changing mood. Moonchild Sanelly’s vocal insertions and rap from M.anifest add a fun flavour of dialogue and an African/Caribbean combo street-feel on Streets is Calling. Yazmin Lacey’s guest vocal has soulful beauty on God Gave Me Feet For Dancing, and No One’s Watching Me with Olivia Dean fluidly captures the theme of simply letting your body do its thing. Free-flowing but also room-to-room moving fun, underpinned by brilliantly honed musicianship, range-y but also intimate. It’s no wonder they are about to be the first jazz combo to play Wembley. Out on Partisan Records.
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