So here’s some interesting signals beaming out of nu-jazz central, London Town. Keyboard custodian, Ezra Collectivist, Nubya Garcia buddy and sonic cavalier Joe Armon-Jones is launching his new label Aquarii Records which he says will stand as ‘“a home for the music that is around me; somewhere it can live and somewhere it can flourish”.
And to start things off with an inaugural boom the label’s first release will be a new single from the boss himself ‘Pray’, a track given that extra sizzle and kick by bassist Luke Wynter (Nubiyan Twist ) alongside Morgan Simpson (Black Midi) on those drums. If you know any of Armon-Jones’s expeditions so far you’ll be expecting deep funk and sumptuous grooves orbited by sharp jazz twists. ‘Pray’ delivers all of these with added glow and personality.
From the swooning vocal wash to fluid cascading Rhodes runs, through big soul Brothers Johnson chords to an intricately unwinding broken beat come down, ‘Pray’ is an immaculate glide through an expanding sound space. Available now in digi-form or to pre-order as a 10” platter with additional track ‘Nothing Move’ exclusive to vinyl consumers, all wrapped in another Starship sleeve from regular Armon-Jones collaborator, Divya Scialo- It’s all got the feel of the start of something epic…
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