Afterlife – Shikasta

It’s been many moons since I heard a fresh chillout album. Gone were the days of accessible lounge albums that also made the charts (the days of Morcheeba, Zero & ) and yet were exactly what you needed after a long day. Instead they were banished to be only heard in clothes shops, lifts and the pre-trailer section in movie cinemas. It was unfair. Those songs were nameless as the staff were ignorant to music and it was too muffled and incoherent for Shazam to display it’s magic.

So then to my refreshing surprise on a Monday Evening on Jazz FM, this beautiful track is aired. It is not nameless like the others but is entitled “Suddenly. After a quick search on the Spotify engine I arrived at their album. Which was definitely worth the wait. It is not their debut album as they have been making music under a moniker since 1995 but this album is from 2014 and the musician is new to me. Steve Miller’s music has featured on a number of Cafe Del Mar CDs and it’s confident and self-assured. Angelic female vocalists Rachel Lloyd and Ella May share the vocal responsibilities on the album but it’s just as rewarding on instrumental tracks such as the titular opening track: “Shikasta” which is a mellow and straightforward introduction of what’s to come.

“A Little Bit of Love” delightful surprises us with a jazz interlude after Ella May impersonates Corinne Bailey Rae. “Subliming” is like waves washing over us and is the perfect Sunday morning mini dream. Highlight “Pearl and Dream” is self-absorbing tunnel into drum heaven. “Sweet Basil” has an overwheling entrance is a bit out of place but it maintains a jazzy charm. The only weak spot is the reggae “Orion’s Place” which is a bit stale, random and deserves to be on a slightly less imaginative record. Otherwise, Shikasta is the perfect audio companion to this year’s paradise getaway. 83/100
#review by Matt Taylor Hobbs (aka Remeny)

Label: Subatomic
Cat No: SHIKASTA 1
Released: 1 August, 2014
Genre: Downtempo

BUY from

Tracklist:

1 Shikasta
2 Incredible
3 Pearl & Dean
4 Pirates
5 Surface Detail
6 A Little Bit Of Love
7 Salt Water Waves
8 Subliming
9 Suddenly
10 Sweet Basil
11 Orion’s Place
12 Dust
13 Orion’s Place (Gelka remix)

Radios Shows

News