— Issue 110 —

We’ve had a great month here that has been filled with music-related events. Firstly, “From the Caribbean to Coventry” at the Barbican library, a great little free exhibition which runs till July 1st, and then “Beyond the Bassline” at the British Library which runs till August. Both showcase aspects of Black music in Britain, its history and evolution. Look out for some images and videos on our instagram, and if you find yourself in London and can make it, both are very much worth checking out!

Now, on to this month’s vinyl:

Our LP for this month is the second album from Liverpudlian band, Stealing Sheep. An excellent melange of ‘80s synth pop, floaty female harmonies and catchy lyrics, the album is a finely crafted set of well-crafted, breezy, magnetic songs. The lyrics are bubblegum, practically demanding a sing-along whether you can figure out the meaning of every curious line or not (we definitely didn’t!). Each dulcet harmony the trio coos in unison adds a candied memory of 1960s girl groups to the prismatic instrumentation underneath. Lovely.

Our EP this month is a meaty slice of afrobeat/pop, and could really be described as a mini-LP for its length. Hackney born afrobeat heavyweight Dele Sosmi recorded and produced this work with Essex musician Sam Duckworth, aka Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and a team of specially assembled musicians under the banner of “The Estuary 21” - with the name of the nearby river and the year, apparently being a clue to future Confluence projects.

Recorded over a multitude of sessions in 2021, this new set of songs flow with the sounds of Afrobeat, jazz, and worldly pop, and feelings of freedom, strength, and collaborative dynamism as a balm for the life changing events of the day and beyond.