East London producer, Sekito label founder, and utterly dope artist Alfa Mist has announced his forthcoming album Variables, set to drop on April 21 via Anti-Records. He’s gifted listeners with two meticulous releases in “4th Feb (Stay Awake)” and “BC”.
“‘4th Feb (Stay Awake)’ is a dark, introspective lo-fi offering that pairs Alfa’s reflective bars with a groove-heavy production and sees him expressing his inner thoughts. He finds solace in solitude before the swoon of strings closes the track,” Alfa’s team said. The ominous vibe of this cut gives Alfa plenty of room to dance within the pockets of production.
“‘BC’ is a seven-minute free improvised track ft. a colourful swell of the percussion. Expressive and unrestrained, it demonstrates the ingenuity of Alfa Mist and his close-knit band,” they said. “BC” is absolutely unrestrained as Alfa shows off on this experimental, ever-evolving track. Lyrics are unnecessary on this one as each featured layer of production shines through at different times, as if they’re each offering their own verse.
“Alfa said the following in regard to Variables, ‘I’ve been focused on who I am in my music, but now I’m exploring where I am,’ Alfa Mist says. ‘I’m asking: how did I get here?’ This is the journeying question that underpins Alfa’s fifth album, Variables. Traversing luscious, big band swing, head-nodding boom-bap rhythms, and yearning vocal melodies, the record is expansive, soulful, and moving, in both body and spirit. On Variables, Alfa achieves his most fully-realized, expressive musical work to date, coupling his keen ear for looping, memorably emotive piano melodies with intuitive grooves and free-flowing jazz improvisation.”
“Variables sees Alfa Mist offer a diverse listening experience, as he dives into the argument of nature versus nurture on the rhythmic ‘Borderline’ to the airy, crystallic sounds of ‘Cycles.’ The album’s standout features are captivating, with long-time collaborator and band’s bass player Kaya Thomas-Dyke’s gentle vocals adding an ethereal essence on ‘Aged Eyes,’ whilst the South African folk singer Bongeziwe Mabandla drapes the vibrant backdrop and Jas Kayser’s frenetic drum playing with his crystalline falsetto on ‘Apho.'”
Following the release of this album we’ll see the multi-faceted artist and his band embark on a five-stop North American tour in Brooklyn, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Franciso. Those shows will respectively be on April 29th, 30th, May 2nd, 4th, and 5th.
Contributing to Variables is a dope range of artists including Kaya Thomas-Dyke on double/electric bass & vocals, Jamie Leeming on guitar, Peggy Nolan on cello, Johnny Woodham on trumpet/flugel, Jas Kayser on drums, and Sam Rapley on bass clarinet.
Listen to the singles below and keep an eye out for Variables!
