Released by the good folks at Shy Bairn Records, ‘Take To The Sky’ marks the debut album of Hartlepool-based jazz outfit NEEB, as they complete two years of deep evolution and keen experimentation. In the new record, the instrumental core of founders Mark Hand, Mark Lloyd, and Tony Waite is joined by charming songstress Jasmine Weatherill, giving the group heightened elegance and a truly hypnotic flair. The keen reader might remember NEEB from an article we published last year, praising the title track from the present album as “a slice of elegant and dreamy acid jazz and soft pop with a decisively soulful character”.
Well, we weren’t wrong then, and we aren’t now. ‘Take To The Sky’ is a deeply kaleidoscopic and nuanced body of work, both cohesive and diverse. We say cohesive, referring to the constant boundary-pushing musicianship expressed in every track. Diverse, because NEEB don’t restrict themselves to a precise formula, despite their clearly jazz-flavoured ethos. Instead, they navigate neo-soul, leftfield electronic tones, and pop-leaning melodies, making for a record that’s complex, yet welcoming and heartwarming.
Delving deeper into their sound, Mark Lloyd explains: “Our sound is more electro-acoustic and song-based, with soulful vocals and Rhodes piano, resulting in a fuller, warmer sound featuring plenty of surprises, with a movement towards jazz lounge influences mixed with vintage and digital electronica.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Take To The Sky’ on Spotify:
