The Offline drops first single of 2023, 'Le Club'

The first single since his 2022 debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’, The Offline continues his fusion of jazz, funk, surf and soul on ‘Le Club’, an ode to a famous surf spot along the shores of the French Atlantic.

The new track connects seamlessly to the sonics of his first project and continues his journey into an analogue feel reminiscent of old funk and jazz albums you’d find sampled in hip-hop. A soulfully visual tune with dramatic, cinematic arrangements, it also pays homage to the moody soundtracks of 1960s and 1970s film composers such as Francois de Roubaix, Brian Bennet and David Axelrod.

The Offline came to life, when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing the beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs to match the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals and soon recognized that he needed to build a group of musicians. With Carl-Michael “Grabi” Grabinger on drums, Sebastian Schütze on bass and the brass section with Hans-Christian Stephan and Kimo Eiserbeck, he found highly skilled instrumentalists to help the tracks come to life.

Welcoming drummer, composer and producer Devra to the family

Devra is the alias of Italian drummer and composer Fabio De Angelis. Originally from Vicenza, Italy, Devra made a name for himself as a session drummer in his native country, collaborating with several artists on the national scene across the worlds of jazz and pop.

His experiences and cross-genre collaborations led to him arriving at a personal synthesis resulting in his upcoming debut EP. It’s a project that moves between jazz and neo-soul, with echoes of hip-hop and RnB that reflect the musical shifts and transitions he’s been through in recent years.

‘Moses’, the first single taken from his upcoming self-titled EP, transitions from free-flowing, open time into bopping hip-hop and neo-soul grooves. These are accompanied by bold horn lines and space for tasteful, expansive improvisation.

Sonically connecting with the overarching themes of transitional spaces between light and dark moments in life, the track acts as an introduction and mission statement of what’s to come. Inspired by the sounds of the Italian underground music scene, as well as hip-hop-inflected jazz of acts Robert Glasper and Roy Hargrove, ‘Moses’ also has space for expressive solos to trumpeter Francesco Fratini and tenor saxophonist Lorenzo De Luca.

Pre-save ‘Moses’ here

Quinn Oulton - Alexithymia (Deluxe Edition)

Following the release of his debut album 'Alexithymia' in May 2022, Quinn Oulton reveals the Deluxe Edition, coming out April 2023.

Kicking things off with a refreshing take on the original of 'Better', Quinn frees the track from the intricate textures and hard-hitting drums, highlighting the harmonically rich and free-flowing song in its purest form: piano and voice. At the heart of the songwriting, Quinn discusses a sense of jealousy and self-pity around a narrative of unrequited love. Though the song is based on his own experiences, Quinn wanted to write it as if it was someone else’s story, a sort of caricature of himself. Speaking on the track, Quinn said:

“My usual process, when writing songs, is to toy with sounds and textures on my laptop to spark inspiration. Writing ‘Better’ was different - I sat at the piano and composed the song in just under an hour before taking it to my laptop and adding further elements there. It’s now one of my favourite songs. I’m presenting the song as an acoustic version here to show you how I started.”

The second offering is Quinn's rework of 'Never', which sees him experimenting with new production techniques and ways to manipulate sound. With this reworked track he takes the original and completely flips it on its head, adding glitched vocal elements and booming 808s that you can expect to hear in his future works.

South London based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist & producer Quinn Oulton exhibits a raw sound, melding soaring vocals and tangled acoustic textures with abstract electronics. His music spans several genres, including jazz, indie and pop.

His debut album 'Alexithymia' was released in May 2022, receiving national radio support from Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan & Cerys Matthews (6 Music), Jack Saunders & Sian Eleri (BBCR1), along with Jamie Cullum (BBCR2) & Jamz Supernova (BBC1X). It includes tracks featuring Moses Boyd and Genevieve Artadi. 

PYJÆN announce brand new EP 'Sunset Milk Tea'

London-based quintet PYJÆN return with their latest project ‘Sunset Milk Tea’, which sees the band team up with rising trumpeter Jackson Mathod and singer-songwriter Yuika, for a 6-track EP packed with an abundance of memorable flavours.

Recorded during the ‘Feast’ sessions at Real World Studios in late 2020, ‘Sunset Milk Tea’ delivers trademark PYJÆN sounds, seamlessly fusing jazz, disco, punk, hip-hop and other contemporary sounds all together, with nods to the heady days of 1920’s era jazz in between, taking you on a journey of twists and turns throughout.

The EP’s title track ‘Sunset Milk Tea’ see’s the band bring in Japanese singer-songwriter Yuika, who transforms the original anime-inspired instrumental track, into a song with a complete fresh and fulfilling dynamic, adding delicate vocals to the vibrant and uplifting instrumentation.

In true PYJÆN style, Sunset Milk Tea sees the band glide through various genres and sounds, teaming up with trumpeter Jackson Mathod for the upbeat jazz-fuelled hip-hop inspired ‘Is That It?’ which is ignited by Jackson’s stylistic improvising on the trumpet. ‘Winter Sun’ provides a more mellow approach, one abundant with horns which shower the track, setting a moody tone throughout. Finally, ‘SMASH’ offers a true insight into what defines PYJÆN; jazz without boundaries, combining multifaceted artistry and cross-genre sensibilities with ferocious talent, bringing five diverse components into one singular, emotional sound. 

Basile Petite & Drew Wynen bring the sunshine on debut EP 'On s'amuse'

Expanding upon a series of loop-based ideas from jams in 2022, production duo Basile Petite & Drew Wynen reacted to feedback from their audience on social media to create 'On s'amuse'. A project celebrating the joy of music-making and collaboration between the duo and their audience, it combines hip-hop and broken beat grooves with jazz-laced harmony and futuristic production.

The beat tape follows singles 'L'Autofilteur', 'Jour Soleil' and 'Grosse Soirée', which brought together nostalgic, heartwarming melodies and summer sonics, with nods to Tom Misch and Phony Ppl, as well as a Yussef Kamaal twist.

"This collection of songs all kicked off by putting a few short loops together, having fun at Basile’s house. Unexpectedly some of those beats really took off on the socials & gave us that “why not!” energy to really push & expand on these ideas all the way. We learned a lot in a year & are thrilled with the results. From the bedroom to the world with love… Keeping it fun!"

Drew Wynen is a musician/beatmaker based in London UK. Alongside working extensively as a session guitarist (currently Crystal Fighters, De’Wayne) for over a decade, he started to focus on his own beats especially when lockdown hit in 20-21.

Born and bred in France, Basile Petite moved to London after graduating from Tours Jazz Conservatoire. He started working as a session musician and began writing his own music, producing, and collaborating with other artists such as Mega, Etuk Ubong and BBsway.

The duo came together through a mutual love for hip-hop & jazz, and artists such as Kiefer, MXXWLL and Rob Araujo. Having amassed a strong audience on social media for their work, they've also seen extensive support from editorial teams at Spotify and Apple Music. 

Quinn Oulton - 'Never' (Reworked)

The second offering from Quinn’s ‘Alexithymia’ Deluxe Edition - ‘Never’ (Reworked) which sees him experimenting with new production techniques and ways to manipulate sound.

With this reworked track he takes the original and completely flips it on its head, adding glitched vocal elements and booming 808s that you can expect to hear in his future works.

PYJÆN - SMASH

PYJÆN continue to roll out their forthcoming ‘Sunset Milk Tea’ EP, with ferocious new single ‘SMASH’

Showcasing their signature jazz fusion blend in its full glory, combining emotive melodies with driving grooves and ferocious virtuosity, ‘SMASH’ bring the quartet's diverse components into one singular, emotional sound, defining what PYJÆN are all about.

Quinn Oulton - 'Better' (Acoustic)

Announcing the Deluxe Edition to his debut album ‘Alexithymia, Quinn Oulton has revealed the albums first track - ‘Better (Acoustic).

A refreshing take on the original, Quinn frees the track from the intricate textures and hard-hitting drums, highlighting the harmonically rich and free-flowing song in its purest form: piano and voice.  

Stella Talpo drops 'FINE: Stripped' EP

Born in a small town outside Milan, and raised in Singapore, Stella Talpo has wanderlust woven into her bones. Influenced by a wide range of artists from Billie Holiday to Nirvana, she gracefully traverses genres, with her poignant lyrics addressing themes from addiction and human behaviour to politics.

Stella Talpo kick starts 2023 with 'Where Did I Go (Stripped)', offering an alternative take on the electronic-tinged, atmospheric soul / R&B cut taken from last years' EP 'FINE'.

Stripping everything back to just voice and guitar allows Stella's earthy vocal and lyrics to shine, as she explores themes of anxiety and the life altering consequences of pursuing love and validation at all costs. The track completes her EP 'FINE: Stripped'.

Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Jerk reveals brand new album ‘Bloom’.

Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Jerk reveals reveals brand new album ‘Bloom’.

Written in the late spring of 2021, the album's first offering, ‘Il. Sunshower’ demonstrates the boundless virtuosity of the Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, playing every instrument on the track (and the album for that matter) completely themselves, minus the programmed drums. The track offers a tantalising glimpse at what Jerk has created across the album and sees the polymath step into an exciting new zone of rawness and musical purity ahead of the album’s unveiling.

Speaking on the single, Jerk went on to say; “This was the first piece I had written in months, it seemed to pour out of my fingers. The melody, harmony, and textures felt so fresh and invigorating. I exported the demo to my phone and took a walk to Prospect Park in Brooklyn to listen. Mid walk, it started pouring rain, but there were hardly any clouds in the sky - a Sunshower. I was soaked head to toe, but it was so beautiful I couldn’t even be upset. It was a renewal - a washing away of the old and embrace of the new.’

Second single ‘Miss Psilo’ was born during a complicated period in Jerk’s life and is the first piece of music Jerk wrote after acknowledging their queer identity, as they describe: “I was on a trip in Upstate New York and participated in a mind-expanding activity. I remember looking in a mirror and hating what I saw, and I didn’t understand why I felt this way. As a result, I fell into a deep depression. After swimming in these feelings for weeks, I acknowledged that I had been lying to myself for my entire life. The first time I sat down at the piano, Miss Psilo poured out of my fingertips.”

That is evident throughout, with an abundance of emotive instrumentation, along with a rawness that cuts through the heart of the track allowing space for the stunning piano solo to effortlessly enter across the mid-section of the song, in preparation for the harmonic saxophone to come in towards the end.

The album's final single, ‘Still Searching’, is an embrace and reclamation of one of Jerk’s earliest influences, the legendary Roy Ayers, and his piece ‘Searchin’. Gleaming with uplifting vibrations, 'Still Searching' is Jerk at their finest with melodic saxophone throughout, accompanying the abundance of instrumental layers and textures within the three and half minute striking and upbeat jazz number.

The album itself follows a period of change, understanding and coming of age for Jerk, which clearly transcends within the music, and sits fittingly within the album's title - Bloom. The music from beginning to end is raw in form and profoundly personal, as Jerk articulates:

“When a flower blooms, it’s a sign that everything went right - the soil was fertile, the sun and water met its needs, and the plant was nourished. Bloom is a collection of music I wrote when I was embracing my queer identity and coming out of the closet. Coming out wasn’t something I wanted at the time, but rather something I needed. In the same way, I didn’t intentionally write this music, it just seemed to pour out of my fingertips. This album is my bloom - proof that owning and embracing my truth was necessary to be nourished.

Bloom is very raw and very personal. The songs captured real-life moments of beauty, euphoria, fear, and awkwardness. When I decided to make this album, I wanted to capture that rawness. The drums are programmed. Everything else is a live instrument - you can hear my mistakes, my breathing, the piano bench squeaking, and the warm and hissy sound of signal pouring through vintage instruments, microphones, and preamps.”