Author: Leah Godfrey

I can’t really believe that my last post (about the Alfa Mist gig) was written this very month, since a ridiculous amount of things have happened since then. Now that I have settled into my isolation spot, I have the head-space to post some more things on this blog. For my first mid-pandemic undertaking, I will be tackling the ’30 day song challenge’ which has been floating around the internet (shout out to Olly who sent it to me!).

Instead of posting everyday for 30 days, I will submit my answers in three parts. Here we go with days 1-10…

1. A song you like with a colour in the title:

2. A song you like with a number in the title

3. A song that reminds you of summertime

4. A song that reminds you of someTHING you’d rather forget

5. A song that needs to be played loud

6. A song that makes you want to dance

7. A song to drive to

8. A song about drugs or alcohol

9. A song that makes you happy

10. A song that makes you sad

That concludes Part 1 of my Quarantine Trilogy – watch this space for Part 2 🙂

A couple of days ago I got to go and see Alfa Mist, a jazz artist from East London, grace the stage of SWX with his incredible band. This gig was unlike anything I’ve been to before – the music predominantly had no lyrics, apart from one track with rapping and one with singing from his band member; therefore, it felt like a very different experience. Usually at a concert by an artist I having been listening to for a while I can express my affiliation by singing along, but in this show filled with instrumentation and improvisation instead of lyricism, I found myself appreciating the musical flow, contrasting quieter moments with busier ones, focusing on each individual instrument and it’s contribution to the whole sound.

The saxophone/bass clarinet player performed some amazing solos, and so did the drummer. Alfa himself got lost in the music, playing the keyboard effortlessly as if he didn’t even need to think about it. His dark and moody sound was so much more powerful to hear live.

Another thing I noticed was that there were not many members of the crowd filming on their phones, they were instead appreciating the performance in the moment, using their arms to dance instead of hold a phone above their heads. Perhaps this was due to the slightly older demographic of the crowd (younger audiences tend to be more attached to capturing the memories), or because of the nature of the music as more of a continuous musical experience instead of an easily discernible song-by-song set-list.

Overall, it was a special evening and I’m looking forward to listening to more of Alfa’s recently released solo piano project, On my Ones.

Following the recent music award shows and on-going discussion about female representation, support and equality in both the music and film industries, I thought I’d reflect on some ladies who I’m currently listening to on repeat.

Erika de Casier

Tei Shi

Clairo

Also some shout outs to female artists who I also love but haven’t really released music in the past year… Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, SZA, Teyana Taylor, Tierra Whack, 070 Shake… just to name a few

Edit (7/3/2020): I’m also loving the two new projects from Princess Nokia, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Sucks, each showcasing different sides of her multifaceted identity and sense of self.

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A few weeks ago, when my January summer exam timetable was released, I realised that I had a spare few days between finishing exams and beginning lectures again. Around this same time, 070 Shake was doing a European tour. Unfortunately, her UK dates all fell before my exam, when I was in peak revision mode. However, I noticed that by the time my exam was over she would not have strayed too far, with her Amsterdam show falling perfectly in the gap between finishing exams and re-starting lectures. So, my housemates and I spontaneously booked a short getaway to Amsterdam, centering around an excitement to see 070 Shake live.

I first was made aware of her music because of her involvement in Kanye West’s album ye, released in the summer of 2018. Her distinct voice sings the hook on ‘Ghost Town’, which went on to be one of my most played songs of the past couple of years. My love for this song led me to explore her solo music, and so I discovered her EP Glitter, also released in 2018. Fast forward to the end of 2019, and she announces her debut album, Modus Vivendi, which she released 6 days before I went to see her live performance.

On first listen, I wasn’t overly excited about this new project. I was so attached to the raw, emotive lyrics and delivery on songs from Glitter like ‘Mirrors’ and ‘I Laugh When I’m With Friend But Sad When I’m Alone’. However, seeing most of the songs from the new album performed live has since led to this album being stuck on repeat in my university household. Being so close to an artist, surrounded by fellow fans, accompanied by amazing lighting technology, high quality speakers and an authentic performance, brought out the magic of the album.

My current favourite songs from the new album are:

• Come Around
• Morrow
• Guilt Conscience
• Under The Moon
• Daydreamin

After seeing her live my love for her has only grown, and I can’t wait to see her make an impact with her honest, diverse sound.

Scrolling through instagram this week, I came across a tweet from Erykah Badu, announcing her feature on a new album from an artist I had never heard of:

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A post shared by UNICORN Mutant Cobra jumpin time lines (@erykahbadu)

My excitement at the prospect of some new music to listen to was quickly diminished by my discovery that these tunes would only be available to hear through purchasing the vinyl. As a proponent of the streaming generation, I am used to being able to access almost any music instantly. The fact that this project is isolating itself from that process, made me think. Streaming allows me to hear so much content so fast, but what comes with this ease to listen is an ease to forget and move on very quickly.

JME’s new album Grime MC is similarly only available on CD or vinyl. Pitchfork identifies that this puts the responsibility in the lap of the listener to venture out in order to experience this project. There is definitely a high level of admirability in this sort of deviance from the usual standards of the music industry. By being absent from streaming services, an artist can ensure that their music avoids being just another project in a sea of constant new releases. The act of going out of your way to purchase a physical album brings with it more of a direct connection to the artist and a willingness to dedicate time to exploring their music.

Likewise, The Beatles had previously not put their music onto any streaming services. Whether the reason for this was to do with revenue issues or more of a commitment to preserve their values, at the end of the day such a success like The Beatles seemingly did not need a service like Spotify.

However, at the end of 2015, The Beatles put most of their back catalogue and compilation albums on streaming services. Something that I was very surprised to read, was that in 2019 the top demographic of people listening to The Beatles of Spotify was 18-24 year olds. Despite any criticisms of streaming and it’s impact on how we digest music, the magic in it can be seen in this example. The availability of The Beatles’ music on streaming services has allowed a new generation to experience it who, without such access, most likely would not have put the effort into exploring it. If an artist primarily cares about their music being able to reach as many people as possible, and impacting, them in some way, then it seems like streaming services are not so bad after all.

How can these reflections be applied to how we listen to music? I definitely do not think it is justifiable to criticise everything about streaming – but, it is a complicated space in the digital world that does come with it’s ups and downs. Perhaps by being more conscious about what we listen to and how we listen to it, we can embrace the advantages of streaming services whilst making an effort not to listen shallowly and passingly. And if in doubt, buy a record player!

The exam period is sadly approaching, and I, like many others, find that I can focus on revision for a lot longer if I am listening to music. Music without lyrics is the best for this task, and so I thought this would be a nice segway into reflecting on some of the instrumental albums I go back to most frequently (not just when I’m working!).

Elaenia by Floating Points

This album can’t really be boxed into one genre. I love how he fuses jazz influence with a more electronic, experimental sound. The album flows seamlessly between tracks and has so many unpredictable moments.

In A Space Outta Sound by Nightmares on Wax

Having picked this album to go on the list, I did some reading about it and found that Nightmares On Wax was one of the earlier artists making music coined as ‘Trip Hop’ (a name I have just learned originated from Bristol where I am at university!). Trip Hop encompasses mellow beats influenced by jazz and soul. This album is groovy and smooth – more on the repetitive side but extremely well put together and a real head-bopper for me.

2012 – 2017 by Against All Logic

A.A.L is the alias of American artist Nicolas Jaar, and he released this compiled project with little warning. It’s definitely one to dance to and is very easy to enjoy compared to some of Jaar’s other more experimental work.

Black Focus by Yussef Kamaal

This album is a project from the duo made up of British keyboardist/producer Kamaal Williams and drummer Yussef Dayes. It captures the unpredictability of jazz that would be expected in a live improvisation setting, with these artists playing a prominent part in the emergence of a new scene in UK jazz. Hip-hop and afrobeat influences are interweaved into this exciting, quality album.

With 2019 coming to end, I thought I’d reflect on some musical highlights of the year, by looking back at some of my favourite albums that have come out this year.

IGOR by Tyler, the Creator

Angel’s Pulse by Blood Orange

GREY Area by Little Simz

When I Get Home by Solange

Assume Form by James Blake

As some of my friends will know, a couple of years ago I created a Spotify playlist with all my absolute favourite songs on it. For a song to make it onto this playlist, it must be extra special to me. These are the songs I have and will listen to over and over again without losing that ‘Ooo I LOVE this song!’ feeling. They may not all be the most critically-acclaimed songs ever, but they have all been a big part of my personal listening history. I have chosen 5 of these songs to talk a little bit about, and have link the full playlist here:

(These are not technical song reviews in any way, just my reflections on what these songs mean to me!)

That’s the Way of the World by Earth, Wind and Fire

SWIM by BROCKHAMPTON

Ex-Factor by Ms. Lauryn Hill

Show You The Way by Thundercat feat. Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins

Dang! by Mac Miller feat. Anderson.Paak