The East London collective Hackney Colliery Band do not disappoint in their latest release Collaborations: Volume One, which has them collaborating (duh?) with the likes of James Taylor, Dennis Rollins, and Angélique Kidjo.
The album bends, sways and occasionally does a 180 just to keep you on your toes. The combination of percussion, horn, voice and a certain something that can’t quite be isolated means that this album is hard to define as simply one genre. There are elements of funk, jazz, and soul, to name a few, but it is a beautiful combination of elements, which leave the listener wanting more.
The track ‘Mm Mm’, which has the vocals of Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, is the perfect example of what the contemporary jazz scene is known for, and it incorporates musical influences from across the globe. This album breaks down boundaries in order to create an exciting listening experience; one moment it’s sombre, the next it’s vivacious. It promises to be a thrilling live show, with many opportunities for a boogie.
Whether there will be a Collaborations: Volume Two to follow is the question to be asked, as one can hope for more from this collective in the future.
Hackney Colliery Band will be playing a show at the Barbican on 5th October 2019 in promotion of Collaborations: Volume One.