ALFA MIST, VARIABLES
British pianist, producer and MC Alfa Mist introduces contemporary jazz album Variables on his own record-label, Anti.
19 tracks, 45 minutes for a beautiful story about struggles, realities and becoming. With musical collaborations of Kaya Thomas-Dike and Bonzegiwe Mabandla, band composed of Jamie Lemming, Peggy Nolan, Johnny Woodham, Jas Kayser, Sam Replay. Ethereal artwork also from Kaya, and animations created by artist visual artist S P O D.
It all starts with first track “Foreword”, which would be the perfect soundtrack for jazzy GREAT PRETENDER japanese anime which tells the story of Makoto Edamura,a young boy who aspires to achieve greater things, pay his ill mom medical bills and will end up becoming an honest trickster. On “Borderline ” atmospheric lo-fi , Alfa Mist talks with a poetic angst about the stereotypes associated with black people, showing how people already decided for one who he was, someone doing “music, sport or crime”.
Comes a beautiful melancholic banger named “Aged Eyes”, that tears the heart. Bassist, song-writer and regular collaborator Kaya Thomas-Dike’s lyrics seems to be addressed to a loved one that she misses, a loved one that is far away. Their common memories seem to be soiled by the noise of the world, of the people involving themselves in what does not belong to them. 4rth track “Cycles” appears like an interlude, feels like accepting emotions and the things we can’t control no more. “The Gist” sounds like the moment we assess the changes, the issue, the progress, the past. Here’s the question it raises : What finally matters to me, now ?
So… now it’s different. The next song is names “Genda (Go Away), which could refer to a plant, to party (in French slang if written “Glenda”) but also to a person that asks a lot of obvious or intrusive questions, not knowing the subtlety of conversations and intimacy. The following title invites South African afro folk musician and singer Bongeziwe Mabandla on enchanting ballad “Apho”, soothing the soul. Eponymous title “Variables” instrumental song embraces with grace the fluctuation of feelings in a quiet strength with gritty guitars and solemn saxophones.
Alfa Mist comes back on hip-hop track “4th Feb (Stay Awake)” accompanied by laughs and soulful chores asking “Why is this all you know ?” This one is cynical and deals with the subjects of traumas, “part personality, part disorder”, dark experiences that have also shaped us, mindplaces we fall into, memories of bitterness and pain. It’s here, in the back, but doesn't prevent us from moving forward. The album closes on “BC”, a frantic track that gives the sensation of the road : enthusiastic, winding, intense. Something we’re ready for.