- ‘Nu-jazz’ is the pet name for an area of music whose roster of quality albums is growing steadily, and here Milan’s Paine contributes a worthy example to the list. The crucial element of nu-jazz is the freedom to improvise and experiment, often applying electronics round the edge or bringing them to the fore. And so it is with the opening ‘Bene’, a funky jazz number with a catchy flute hook, or the lightning quick ‘Deja-Vu’, a kind of tango drum and bass soundclash.
Paine also employs the sort of textures that have you screaming ‘soundtrack’, occasionally overdoing the cool sound so that some of the deep house material is too relaxed. The vocal numbers are best however, ‘Spontaneous’ complaining that ‘you took ten weeks to decide, to part your hair on the other side’, and ‘Let Me’ pining for an escape from the mobile phones of the city to the sea. The amusing water bubbles work a treat here, as do various other subtle sound effects – ‘Messagi Segreti’ has more than 20 vocal snatches.
Interesting stuff then, free of constraint or worry, and if you’re a fan of the Compost sound then look no further.