Osunlade Aquarian Moon

• Words: Tomas Palermo
• Label: BBE
• XLR8R Rating: /10

Only a sensitive soul such as multifaceted producer Osunlade would title a song "The Day We Met For Coffee." This song, like many on his second proper artist album, combines a variety of chilled instrumentation (vibes, acoustic guitar, string arrangements, and ethnic percussion) with steady house and downbeat grooves for an introspective and colorful listen. Aquarian Moon recalls the expanses of global fusion jazz musicians Airto Moreira, Deodato, and Andy Narell-free thinkers who some say degraded trad jazz's proper arrangements with hippie-dippy noodling. The disc (written as an ode to the Greek island Santorini) sounds more like the work of the latter producer, with outstanding headphone jams ("Oia In Winter") butting up against future jazz club goodness ("SokinSikartep").