Brixton based polymath Simon Jefferis returns to rising label DeepMatter with his debut LP ‘Vibrations’. From the golden era energies of ‘Back 2 Ours’ featuring Austin’s Abhi The Nomad, through to the silky smooth melodies of ‘White Rabbit’ (featuring the incredible Rosie Lowe on vocals) and shoulder swaying rhythms of ‘Something In The Water’, ‘Vibrations’ is an expertly crafted production masterclass from start to finish. With ease, Jefferis demonstrates the breadth of his musical capabilities, turning his hand to guitar, keys, drums and bass (with a little help from his friends along the way) with incredible results. Head nod inducing beats, jazz infused keys and interweaving textures make this a stand out record amongst the already sonically rich London jazz scene.
……..well that’s what the label tells me anyway, but the proof is in the pudding, so let’s have a taste. Well….they’re not wrong (a collective sigh of relief, maybe not) but what would you expect from a multi-instrumentalist. He definitely knows the direction he wants to take his music, there are no thrown together ideas or attempts at genres here, he knows his onions. This is a Jazz funk, neo soul, afro beat, hip-hop ride with no missteps, we even get treated to some short skits which are corny but in the oldskool hip-hop way, and that’s cool with me.
The opening track ‘Atlantic Road‘ paves the way with its light percussion and smooth keyboard and guitar work, It was an ‘ok, I’m in, let’s see how this continues’ moment and there was no disappointment. Mellow joints that sometimes get the funk on, but never lose their cool. By the time ‘Something In The Water‘ brought the album to a close, it was time to hit repeat, with no hesitation. A large body of the work on the album is collaborative, which usually (but not always) means that the artist has the trust and respect of other talented musicians, enough so, to give their time and creativity to be part of such a personal project. This was 100% the case on ‘Vibrations‘, an album brimming with originality and soul, well worth tracking down. A perfect collection for those late night sessions or those long ‘Hazy Days‘.
Couldn’t decide from the gems on this one, so let’s go with…….
Tracklist:
01. Atlantic Road
02. White Rabbit
03. High Grade
04. Don’t Upset the Neighbours (Skit)
05. Back 2 Ours
06. Don’t Get wOnKy Get Funky!
07. Vibrations
08. Hazy Days
09. It’s Pronounced ‘Jeff-Riss’ (Skit)
10. Soul2ThePeople
11. Something In The Water
OUT NOW on DeepMatter – https://www.deepmatter.co.uk/
