Best Tracks: Time Takes Time, Brother, Black Walnut, Faeries
Genre: Art Pop, Neo Soul
Year: 2024

Claire and Ciccio had a beautiful vision with Music is the Answer, and they executed it perfectly. It’s a blessing that SHEBAD exists, and from Fantano to J-Wave in Tokyo, the world clearly recognises that. It’s so inspiring to see such creative artists get the praise they deserve.

So why is the world (and myself) falling in love with this music? The opening track, “Love is the Message”, is everything great about SHEBAD. The song is a sonic landscape of guitar reverbs and bass harmonics, kept in time by Emmitt’s hypnotic ghost-note funk. Claire’s vocals are as smooth as silk. Her lead vocal is commanding and romantic; she reminds me of Daniel Caesar, but with more authenticity and kindness. The background vocals add an extra layer to her character, with harmonised runs that even Nai Palm of Hiatus Kaiyote would be proud of. And every time I hear the bass/vocal outro on this track, I never want it to end.

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Best Track: The Creator Has a Master Plan
Genre: Free Jazz
Year: 1969

The first time I heard this album, it blew my mind to hear a band this locked-in. “The Creator Has a Master Plan” somehow captures the formation of a collective musical spirit, as all of the musicians uniquely felt it. Say what you will about the simplicity of the composition, but a simple structure frees up the musicians to where they can devote all their focus into feeling and expressing this spirit. It’s free jazz after all… the music SHOULD be freeing. The band resolves every climax with such grace, and keeps achieving new heights as the piece goes on. The instruments weave between each other, not with an orchestrated pattern, but by tapping into a shared musical connection and gradually moving in intensity as the energy flowed throughout the studio. Maybe this description reads like nonsense to you, but spiritual music calls for spiritual language.

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Best Tracks: ribbon in the wind
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Year: 2024

One of the greatest inventions of the modern era would have to be voice memos. Musicians of all skill levels and income statuses have 24/7 access to a microphone, allowing anybody to capture what they truly sound like behind closed doors. We’ve also had superstars like Billie Eilish get their careers on the merits of their authenticity, selling the image of the authentic artist to millions. So if authenticity sells, ALL MUST BUY The Glory of the Spring. Imagine if all those little untitled voice memos were completed, arranged, and released? Hunter isn’t giving us a polished facade with this album. Down to the hand-drawn cover, this is her creative spirit shown as plainly as possible. Overdubs are used so sparingly, which means they have a massive impact; Lee’s guitar and Bret’s strings add so much life to their respective tracks. The songwriting and performances are all so emotionally potent too, elevated by Hunter’s perfectly-placed dissonant harmonies. You can even hear the oppressive sound of the 4-corner room The Glory of Spring was recorded in, as Hunter laments in the silence of her God. Minimal without being boring, raw without being messy. HUNTER STULL. Really great stuff!!!

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