K15 Vinyl & CDs

Review: A contemporary jazz collaboration featuring the unique vocals of Deborah Jordan against the drum breakbeats and electronic nu-jazz fusion of fellow London native Kieron Ifill (aka K15). The collision of genres spans from the layered traditional R&B production on the smooth 'Heartbroken' to the 808 laden nu-jazz cut of 'Human' and the broken beats of 'Running'. Fans of Solange's 'When I Get Home', H.E.R's EPs and Liv.e's 'Couldn't Wait to Tell You' will have a long list of reasons to check this smooth mix of crystal clean production, jazzy soundscapes and hushed vocals. Jazz, Soul, Funk, and Blues fans cannot pass up the opportunity to give this LP a listen - R&B is far from dead.

Review: K15's long-awaited album, Hope Is Perseverance, is a testament to his two-decade-long journey in music. From the dreamlike essence of 'life interrupted' to the intricate textures of 'hollowed' and 'new territories', the album captures K15's distinctive cinematic style with a nod to beat culture. The title track is an expansive nine-minute exploration featuring soulful string arrangements and captivating drum programming, hallmarking K15's artistry. A compelling ode to hope, the album also highlights K15's multifaceted identity in the music landscape.

Review: London-based beat smith K15 is a UK answer to the likes of Kyle Hall - his house music is steeped in jazz, soul and funk. His drums are dusty and loose - and louche - and his moods are deeply meaningful. His latest EP is another case in point with three more sublime and seductive sounds. 'Still Devoted' is a downtempo cut with analogue drums and gorgeous female vocals soaring up top with the elegance of a church choir. 'State Of Play' has a fantastically cosmic outlook and a nimble bassline that rides its own ride as the synths soar and 'Time Reveals' then closes down with a more melancholic but no less beautiful vibe.

Review: K15 has never let us down ever since he emerged with a brilliant double pack on Kyle Hall's Wild Oats several years ago. The thoughtful London-based beat smith turns up here on 200 Lack, the acclaimed also London-based outlet for broken beats. 'Resonance' is a gorgeously shimmering and summery opener with pensive chords and lush drumming, while 'Within Reach" then brings some playful funkiness with the majestic squelchy bass work and free-spirited melodies that dart about up top. 'Resistance' closes down this superb EP with more thrilling drum patterns and lithe synths.

Review: The prolific Kieron Ifill continues to gift us with truly expressive, elevated house music drawing from the well of soul music and Black innovation that birthed the genre in the first place. After a recent 7" drop on Sounds Familiar, he's back on his own Esencia label with Rituals, a four-track meditation on sweet, synth-led grooves with melodious expression, harmonic interplay and a certain melancholy magic in its bones. The 12" is bookended by mellow, beatless reveries, with 'Ritual IV' in particular closing the record out in a beautiful flourish of piano and trickling water, but the jams at the heart of the EP have more than enough presence to get a floor moving in unison.

Review: American music obsessive and archivist Jerome Derradji's Past Due Records label has got a fine compilation on its hands here. It gathers upside of the very best sounds that San Antonio-based funk band Horizon ever put out. They had a hardcore and devoted local following in the early 89s and secured a number of big radio hits. They were all released on 7"s that you will struggle to ever track down. Thankfully, each one gets assembled here across four fantastic sides of vinyl. What's more, no fewer than ten previously unreleased tracks also make the cut. These are authentic lo-fi funk gems with powerful rhythm sections and seductive vocal sounds.