Quinn Oulton - So Much More

Reflecting upon the effects of Parkinson's Disease, Quinn Oulton releases ‘So Much More’, a touching tribute to his late Grandmother.

Quinn Oulton's ‘So Much More’ is a poignant reflection upon the life of his grandmother, who lived with Parkinson’s Disease for as long as he can remember. Written from the perspective of Quinn’s grandmother, the track details her fighting spirit and love for life, despite the adversities she faced. It’s a deeply moving tribute to a woman who had no time for self-pity but spent a lifetime pouring love into the world and helping others. Quinn contrasts his tender lyrical approach with a frenetic combination of acoustic guitar, electronics and dulcet saxophone tones, creating a musical representation of the complexities of living with Parkinson’s.

On the track, he shares:"This track is dedicated to my grandma, GK, who had Parkinson’s for almost as long as I can remember. She was cheated out of life experiences, but despite being born into unimaginably difficult circumstances and fighting for a life she was proud of, she didn’t wallow in self-pity. Instead, she took it upon herself to learn every dark detail about the disease that was eating away at her, and focused her brilliant mind on helping others in any way they needed.”

Jerk announces new album 'Mood Swings' with first taster, '27'

Jerk returns to some of their core influences, embracing vulnerability, and an authentic experience of the self on the forthcoming ‘Mood Swings’ album.

Lead single ‘27’, sets about introducing some of the themes at the core of the album, including trans-rights and gender identity. Marking both Jerk’s age at the time of creating the record, whilst also putting a critical microscope to American lawmakers’ attempts to raise the age of consent for medical transitioning, they comment:

“Though the age of consent for medical transition has historically been 18, a new push began to raise it to 27 citing brain development as a process that continues through age 26. Reflecting, I was feeling as true to my gender identity at 27 as when I was 15. 27 is a sonic exploration of that idea –an ethos established by a tune played on the Fender Rhodes, stretched, developed and deepened via a lush saxophone solo, returning to its original ethos as one always does.”

Listen to ‘27’ on all platforms

The upcoming album is an eclectic collection of pieces spanning varying compositional and production styles, captured on analogue instrumentation. Warm saxophone tones, glistening Fender Rhodes and cyclical beats encompass the project, with weaving synths adding to Jerk’s tapestry of sounds. The project channels some of Jerk’s earliest influences, taking onboard the beatmaking sensibilities of J Dilla and Madlib, the Brazilian rhythms and textures of Hermeto Pascoal, and the uplifting sonics of Patrice Rushen and Earth Wind & Fire. Jerk shares:

“Mood Swings is a collection of 12 pieces reflecting on gender and mental health. 2022 was a year of political strife for transgender people in America, and a time where I was experiencing some intense emotions–dysphoria, derealization, grief, and romantic love and loss. I wanted to write music embracing this very authentic and vulnerable experience of self.”

Jerk is the brainchild of composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Kinney. Based in Brooklyn, NY, they explore the connection between jazz and hip-hop, with compositions blurring the lines between hip-hop beats and instrumental jazz compositions. Their music has found support across BBCR6, Reprezent Radio, Soho Radio and Jazz FM.

Introducing: Don Glori + new single 'First Touch'

We’re extremely excited to introduce you to the latest member of the DeepMatter family, Melbourne’s-own, Don Glori, who today releases his first single with DeepMatter - ‘First Touch’.

A product of the not-so-underground, genre-bending melting pot that is Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori (AKA Gordon Li) prepares to unleash his forthcoming album ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’ via DeepMatter Records.

Offering up a first taste of the record with synth-laden, midnight-soul bop ‘First Touch’, the music follows the release of his much-heralded 2022 LP ‘Welcome’, a subsequent sweep of the Australian festival circuit and an EU / UK tour. Following this, Don found himself straight back in the studio but coming up short, he explains:

He explains:  “Don't Forget To Have Fun was initially recorded in mid 2022 after several months touring my first album Welcome and at a semi-tumultuous time in my life. Add in a tough 3 days in the studio - broken equipment, illness, burn out from the touring, 40 degree Australian summer heat, a bike accident, and I was left finding it quite hard to enjoy the music. All these things combined made me decide to put the DFTHF session recordings on ice indefinitely.”

Following his relocation to London, UK in 2023, Don managed to tap in to a potent creative current, by taking himself to a place of discomfort, and taking his creative back to basics - allowing additional room for experimentation. He says “I revisited the album after moving to London in May 2023, I was living in a tiny room with barely any equipment and my only income was from the slight bit of touring I was doing which was all going towards rent and groceries. It was a good opportunity to redefine the songs from the DFTHF sessions and inject some new life into them. I had just finished touring Europe, moved to a new city, didn’t know anyone, and had all the free time in the world to experiment with wacky, zany ideas. In the end I re-recorded a lot of the parts on the record in the kitchen of my Whitechapel flat while my housemates were at work. (You can hear the ambulances in the background when you isolate some of the tracks)”.

This invigorating approach helped distil the initial album sketches into a compelling and intoxicating listening experience - with all tracks sharing similar subtle themes and commonalities running throughout. Lead single ‘First Touch’ strikes a seductive tone, with a trance-inducing groove and soundscape channelling the energy of late-night soul and instrumental cuts from the likes of Lynda Dawn, Sade and John Carrol Kirby.

On the album’s title, Don explains: ‘The name Don't Forget To Have Fun is a nice reminder to myself about the journey of the album. How you can change the narrative by keeping a positive attitude, trusting the process and continually experimenting.’ A true work of art, traversing jazz, funk, soul, RnB, samba and beyond, this record is hard to describe, but even harder to forget.

Myele Manzanza - Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations [Out now on digital + 12" vinyl)

Rhythmic shaman Myele Manzanza returns to his jazz roots on his brand new album, ‘Meditations, the fourth edition of his highly applauded ‘Crisis & Opportunity’ series.

Over the past two years, the first three instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series saw Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more. The latter of these offerings extended Myele's sound deeper into the electronic world, venturing further into dance & club territory. From this underground energy, the steady swing of life’s pendulum reaches its apex, so we see Myele revert to a purely acoustic line-up, channeling a focussed and razor-sharp return to his Jazz roots on ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations’. Showcasing an incredible level of musicianship between three musicians at the top of their game - including Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) on piano and Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective) on double bass - the trio exchange motifs over the length of 7 tracks.

Talking about the record, Myele explains: ‘ With this album, I’m yearning for the music itself to hold space. The title 'Meditations' suits the more interior mood of the music too. This is a solitary & introverted album compared to my previous works. I’m not trying to entertain you. I’m not trying to make you dance. Not on this record. With the interference of modern technology on our lives and how so much of our attention is tethered to the digital world, perhaps this album is a small rebellion against that. At least in the sense that it’s a purely acoustic album. It relies on the interplay of three musicians, listening to each other and making spontaneous decisions in order to execute the music. The quality of the sound directly reflects each person’s artistry, command of their instrument, physical technique and mental acuity.”

Opening proceedings with frenetic rhythmic improvisation, complimented by melancholic and cinematic layers of sound, ‘Crayford’s Room’ is a tribute to Myele’s musical mentor back in New Zealand. Remembering his time as a student in Wellington, Myele shows his deep connection to his origins, manifesting itself as lament on ‘Winter’ and ‘Homesick’. Introducing hypnotic, contemplative melodies take centre stage on ‘Something Old Something New’ (the first single to be released from the project)’ It maintains a sense of tension and intrigue throughout, and intensity rises to a crescendo sending sonic particles sprawling into space.

Intuitive, darker and deeply contemplative, Myele Manzanza shares his innermost thoughts on ‘Crisis and Opportunities Vol.4 - Meditations’. He divulges ‘The personal angst and existential frustration I was going through across 2020 - 2022 I believe is well reflected here. The album is deeply informed by the musicianship and sound of my trio, Matthew Sheens on piano and Matt Penman on double bass. Knowing that musicians of their calibre were going to be involved gave me licence to go further in my writing, deploying odd time signatures, sharing the melody roles across the piano and the bass, and delving deeper into the nuances of what the acoustic piano / bass / drums trio can do. The compositions present a challenge even to the best musicians, and I knew that it was essential to have a team on this level to really move the music beyond an academic exercise and draw out the emotion and colour from the material.’

The Offline - La couleur de la mer [Out now on digital + 12" vinyl)

Take an adventure into the world of the finest cinematic soul around, and dive deep into The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

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 beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. 

Quinn Oulton & Col3trane - Lately

Quinn Oulton teams up with celebrated RnB artist Col3trane to explore the negative effects of regular, low-level alcohol consumption on ‘Lately’.

‘Lately’ further explores Quinn’s blend of alt-RnB, jazz, and innovative production, with bouncing, rhythmic vocal lines phasing into a conversation between voice and saxophone in the choruses. The song discusses the often-ignored negative impacts that casual drinking can have on our physical and mental states and the difficulties of saying no to drinking when it’s so deeply ingrained in our social lives. The collaboration came about after Quinn recorded saxophone for Col3trane, and the duo struck up a creative partnership.

On the track, Quinn says: "I started writing Lately one morning lying in bed after having a few drinks the night before. Not badly hungover, yet still feeling like getting out of bed was too much to handle. It made me realise how much of an impact even casual drinking can have on your physical and mental state. Cole resonated with this a lot, and he took it a step further in his verse - thinking about how casual drinking can easily become something much more serious if your habits go unchecked for too long.

SHOLTO - The Changing Tides of Dreams EP

Enter the world of SHOLTO and the stunning sounds of his debut EP ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’

Inspired by soundtrack composers from the 1950s-1970s like Piero Umiliani & David Axelrod, ‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing; never fully sculpted or content. Written during a time of personal transformation for SHOTLO, the project balances unapologetic ethereal textures with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.

“I wanted the music to reflect welcoming of new dreams, or departures of previous ones, letting go of old ways to navigate the challenges life can present with a sense of calmness. Ultimately, I also wanted to make something pretty – I’d made lots of louder angrier music when I was younger, but allowing myself to make something more delicate meant more to me than anything had before.”

Sitting alongside cinematic soul-soundtrack contemporaries like Robohands and The Ironsides, tracks like ‘The Peal That Glitters’ highlight SHOLTO’s abilities as an arranger, with a nostalgic edge and shimmering string arrangement that reflects its title. Lead single ‘Vampire’ was arranged in collaboration with Syd Kemp at Haha Sounds Studios, a composition built around contrasting dark choral vocals and heavy beats with soaring flutes, cascading harps and swirling Wurlitzer pads.

Cuts like ‘Over The Sky’ simmer in tension, with a growing urgency displayed as the swung grooves intensify, harkening to the emotive jazz fusion of Makaya McCraven. However, psychedelia looms large on ‘The Pleasure Principle’, where synths create a wall of sound decorated by Arthur Sajas’ playful flute interjections. Filtered drums and percussion suck the listener further into SHOLTO’s hazy dreamscapes, ensuring there’s no escape from the journey ahead.

Buy ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ on Bandcamp below:

SHOLTO - Over The Sky

London-based multi-instrumentalist, producer & composer SHOLTO continues the rollout of his forthcoming debut EP ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ with new single ‘Over The Sky’

‘Over The Sky’ acts as a mirror reflecting SHOLTO’s personal and musical growth, and the journey through periods of change. At times it simmers with tension, invoking the state of uncertainty and fear that can come during times of personal upheaval. However, the beauty of cascading harp and ethereal strings carries an undercurrent of hope. The unfolding urgency of the track is displayed as the swung drum grooves intensify, harkening to the emotive jazz fusion of Makaya McCraven.

"Over The Sky is a piece of music about reflections and transformation. I wrote the hypnotic harp line whilst on a flight overlooking the sky and the horizon. The sun was setting and the light was bouncing off the plane onto the clouds. I wanted to create something that was tense but beautiful, reflecting how, in life, whenever you’re scared and blue, you know good is around the corner. Time causes youto see and reflect on past moments with more clarity."

‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing; never fully sculpted or content. Written during a time of personal transformation for SHOTLO, the project balances unapologetic ethereal textures with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.

“I wanted the music to reflect welcoming of new dreams, or departures of previous ones, letting go of old ways to navigate the challenges life can present with a sense of calmness. Ultimately, I also wanted to make something pretty – I’d made lots of louder angrier music when I was younger, but allowing myself to make something more delicate meant more to me than anything had before.”

Pre-order ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ on Bandcamp below:

MEDUSA, Stella Talpo's debut album is here!

Following a series of singles supported by the likes of BBC Radio 6, BBC Introducing, COLORS & Wonderland, Stella Talpo shares her debut album MEDUSA.

Created with support from PRS’ ‘Women Make Music Fund’ the record was released on Friday 13th October .

Across the 11 tracks that make up her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella challenges societal ideals and oppressive frameworks. A central thread of mythological, primal & visceral imagery is used to normalise elements of life that are part of the ugly (but real) human experience, contrasting with the sterilised society we occupy, where we’ve been detached from our primal nature.

“Initially, the concept was inspired by the ‘Chimera’, a creature villainised for its grotesque form, which paralleled the story I wanted to tell about our inner darkness & imperfections, the things that make us animals that we’ve hidden away, particularly from a woman’s point of view.”

A result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody (30/70, Cherise), the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful RnB songwriting. Influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Their writings acted as a springboard for many of the lyrical motifs explored by Stella, as she explains; “Women Who Run With Wolves unlocked so much for me creatively, inspiring a lot of the purpose, metaphors and repeated literary motifs on the album.”

The album follows the success of singles like ‘GOOD GIRLS’ and ‘BONES’, which introduced the grittier, primal sound and visceral imagery present in the record’s lyrical themes. Cuts like ‘QUICKSAND’ lean more into Stella’s alt-RnB stylings, but implement booming, 808-powered basslines that add to the fierce attitude adopted in handling anxieties head on, whilst ‘DUST’ charts previously unmarked territory, taking a turn into twisted alt-pop.

The Offline - Le motard [New single + Music Video]

Hamburg’s finest is back with another cinematic soulful cup of goodness, spiced with a dose of funk throughout on his new single ‘Le motard’.

Watch the music video + order his debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ on digital and 12” vinyl below.

Based around an urgent shuffle and Khruangbin-esque guitar parts, ‘Le motard’ comes as a near centre-piece of ‘La couleur de la mer’, taking the energy of the album up a notch as listeners enter the second act of the soundtrack. An infectious bassline forms a tight rhythmic unit with the kit, opening up space for a boisterous horn section, again taking influence from the dark, jazz-tinged hip-hop sampling of the likes of MF Doom and Madlib.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Timor Litzenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix, Brian Bennet & David Axelrod, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

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 beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. Sonically sitting somewhere between the washed out, sun-soaked sonics of Surprise Chef and Robohands, his music has seen support from BBC Radio 6 and Jazz FM, whilst amassing well over one million streams on his debut EP.