Much needed vinyl outing for this excellent, previously on tape (pre/post)lockdown magic from our dear friends and Young Echo Family, Jabu - served via promising new label operating out of Bristol - Six Of Swords.

"Demos / sketches / interludes from the hinterland between records.
Drum machines and single take vocal sketches tied together with downtime synth experiments and recordings of local disappearing areas.
Photo of a (few) moment(s) in time
Something til the next thing materialises"

Following their 'Sweet Company' album on the DYHP label in 2020, this one comes with a more 'in flux' / 'capturing a moment' kind of title, and doesn't describe itself as an album, even if it certainly could be one, to our ears at least.

Either way though - it's nice to have the chance for a rare glimpse into this more 'raw' side of Jabu, closer to their live shows and the workings of their studio sessions perhaps, but still, in effect, carrying all that magic you would expect from a 'fully-fledged' Jabu release.

We are nestled through a web of woozy instrumental interludes, echo-drenched vocals and vibes-heavy jams, often recorded in one take. Probably with the incense burning, and the outside world momentarily shut off, in favour of an undiluted focus on the music that's being made.
You can hear the flavours of low-slung street soul and ghostly dub pop in here, and you can hear the Jabu-style meditative qualities in sound aesthetics here.
The fact that these recordings are left a little more untouched, only adds intrigue and extra feeling - you can imagine being in the room when it was recorded.

In any case, this feeling of being transported 'into their zone' is, in our minds - what makes the sound of Jabu so special in the first place. And the nature of these recordings make them feel extra personal, and therefore highly involving from a listeners perspective - stick this tape on and take a a deep dive into their world: woozy, dreamy, and musically rich.

Music & Lyrics by Alex Rendall, Jasmine Butt & Amos Childs
Artwork by Skkinz

Without You

Ribbons

Don't Turn Me Away

Boiling Wells

Skin

6

I'm Outside

Sweeping Path

Call2Me

Silhouette

Ur Love

Garden 1