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Recording:
  The Shape of Wandering
 
 
Artist:
  Charlotte Jacobs
 
 
Label:
  Self-released  
 
Release Date:
  9.April.2021  
 
Reviewed by:
  PostLibyan  
         
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Review:
 

This EP is a collaboration between jazz/pop singer Charlotte Jacobs and jazz drummer Raf Vertessen. Ms. Jacobs makes a sort of electro pop and Vertessen's drumming works really well with what she is doing.

Opener Where You Want Me To is built around an ascending keyboard riff and her clear voice. Vertessen layers in some of that hesitant modern jazz drumming, the kind that seems to almost always be about to kick in fully but never does. The song grows adding horns and extra layers of her voice to become messily beautiful.

On B Ms. Jacobs is a sultry lounge singer, smokily urging you to take your vitamins. The beats here are fully electronic, just pulsing and clicking behind her and the layers of keys and that smoky singing. The beat is really fun, and it's a good tune.

Ms. Jacobs sings breathily and delicately on Other Half over burbling keys. The drumming/beats feel really chugging in the middle, like Vertessen is just shaking the heck out of maracas.

She performs a duet with herself on Immerse Yourself as layers of her voice sing a kind of call and response over nicely jazzy drumming.

And finally we end with the title track. This is the most avante track here, starting with her singing over a ringing synth tone, and then eventually really scattered, non-rhythmic jazzy drumming comes in and the clatters along oddly, Vertessen really strutting his stuff here. And then at just over four minutes she starts singing a little melody, adds in layers of her voice singing along, and layers of drums. And it ends as a sort of normal song that is really catchy. I love the progression and change in this song as it goes along.

There is a lot to like here, and both Jacobs and Vertessen really know what they are doing.

 
         
 
Related Links:
 

https://charlottejacobs.bandcamp.com/album/the-shape-of-wandering
https://www.facebook.com/charlottejacobsmusic
https://www.instagram.com/charlottejacobsmusic/

 
         

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