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At the start of 2024 BADBADNOTGOOD were brimming with new creative energy. Having just come off a run of one-off international tour dates and a series of sessions for projects with artists Daniel Cesar, Charlotte Day Wilson, reggie, Baby Rose, and Turnstile, the Canadian-trio of Al Sow, Chester Hansen and Leland Whitty were eager to get back into the studio to simply create. The trio called on some of their closest friends and collaborators, BADBADNOTGOOD touring member Felix Fox-Pappas (keys) and a few key-players in the Toronto jazz scene including Kaelin Murphy (trumpet), Juan Carlos Medrano (percussion) and LA musician Tyler Lott (guitar), for an intensive and productive one-week of recording at Valentine Studios in Los Angeles in February 2024. The result of those sessions is the Mid Spiral series, originally released as 3 parts – Chaos, Order and Growth – digitally earlier this year and now collected altogether on a double LP and CD.
The 'Mid Spiral' suites see BADBADNOTGOOD return to their roots of instrumental jazz while once again pushing the boundaries of how they cross pollinate genres, incorporating their love of hip-hop, neo-soul, psychedelic, funk and more. For the sessions, the trio incorporated additional musicians to add more voices of instrumentation, resulting in a deeply collaborative and expansive new sound. As the trio sifted through the weeks’ worth of material, it was clear that three distinct moods emerged, a deeper reflection of where the musicians are within their own personal lives, along with the state of the wider world: Chaos, Order and Growth.
The 'Mid Spiral' suites see BADBADNOTGOOD return to their roots of instrumental jazz while once again pushing the boundaries of how they cross pollinate genres, incorporating their love of hip-hop, neo-soul, psychedelic, funk and more. For the sessions, the trio incorporated additional musicians to add more voices of instrumentation, resulting in a deeply collaborative and expansive new sound. As the trio sifted through the weeks’ worth of material, it was clear that three distinct moods emerged, a deeper reflection of where the musicians are within their own personal lives, along with the state of the wider world: Chaos, Order and Growth.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: 'Mid Spiral' sees the famously chill trio perfectly performing their usual brand of jazzy lounge and swooning instrumental funk, but this time sees a broader range of musical influences enter the fray. Airy 60's tropicalia, woozy surf rock and crisp percussive improvisations accent their usual, pretty fare.TRACK LISTING
1. Eyes On Me
2. Take Me With You
3. Weird & Wonderful
4. Mid Spiral
5. Last Laugh
6. Your Soul & Mine
7. Playgroup
8. Juan's World
9. Taco Taco
10. Sétima Regra
11. Sunday Afternoon's Dream
12. Rewind Your Mind
13. First Love
14. Audacia
15. Celestial Hands
16. Ways Of Seeing
17. White Light
Less than a year after her album Through and Through, Baby Rose returns with Slow Burn, a collection of songs that explode her sonic palette from progressive R&B into a rawer, richer and more sprawling lens of American music. Here, Rose asserts herself as not only a once-in-tenlifetimes vocalist, but as a formidable songwriter connecting the dots where Muscle Shoals meets psych, psych meets jazz, jazz meets Americana, and the right players bring it all together. Produced by BADBADNOTGOOD, Rose and the band found an instant but seemingly endless well of inspiration; what started as an introduction became a day, became a song, became a night, became Slow Burn. Baby Rose was already a powerful position player — she can share the stage with Robert Glasper without breaking a sweat, or close an epic film like Creed III, for which she performed the closing credit song, with steely confidence. When Rose first met with BADBADNOTGOOD the idea was to say hello, get acquainted, see what a collaboration could, over time, potentially become. But the connection was instant, and together they put down lead single “One Last Dance” in just that first meeting. It was Rose’s first freestyle vocal, and it snapped crucial pieces of her vision into focus. “I’ve known deep down there were new spaces and sounds that I could rise to,” Rose explains. “I’ve always been into different sounds that bring in those rawer textures.” And so while the speed of their collaboration thrilled and surprised Rose, the potential and the end results did not. “We moved quickly,” she says, “and it really was a faucet. Once we got ‘One Last Dance’, it became clear everything was going to flow.”
The songs on Slow Burn were inspired in part by Rose’s experiences driving between her family’s home bases: the noise and chaos of DC and the quiet, Carolina countryside. Rose would crank music and let her mind drift, making room for the internal monologues and imagined dialogues you might not otherwise dare to hear. There’s a dreaminess in those moments, and they smolder on Slow Burn: memories lose their realities, feelings replace happenings. Slow Burn’s title track, for example, sets soft, ambling drums against Rose’s lyrical repetitions, as she traces those recollections—some lives, some felt— with patient, insistent desire.
The standout “One Last Dance” arrives disguised as a love song, but is actually an ode to a lost friendship, and an imagined dream of one more day like the old days. Reality blurs with feeling again, vocals layer into lullaby, and BADBADNOTGOOD’s bassist Chester Hansen brings that dreamlike quality to a sneaky, cautious but loving undertone. In fact most of the songs on Slow Burn have that stealthy, shadowed feel, like they’re arriving on tiptoe: intimate but a little dangerous, tender but a little mysterious. As complete and compelling a work as this is, Slow Burn points to a bigger, higher ascent in Baby Rose’s future. “I feel boundless,” says Rose. “It’s one thing carrying the weight of the emotion I’m going to bring as a vocalist and lyricist, but now I feel like I’m the head on a body with all these players and artists and other limbs. I’m in love with that process. When you have the right energy and the right synergy,” she says, “all that’s left is to trust yourself.”
The songs on Slow Burn were inspired in part by Rose’s experiences driving between her family’s home bases: the noise and chaos of DC and the quiet, Carolina countryside. Rose would crank music and let her mind drift, making room for the internal monologues and imagined dialogues you might not otherwise dare to hear. There’s a dreaminess in those moments, and they smolder on Slow Burn: memories lose their realities, feelings replace happenings. Slow Burn’s title track, for example, sets soft, ambling drums against Rose’s lyrical repetitions, as she traces those recollections—some lives, some felt— with patient, insistent desire.
The standout “One Last Dance” arrives disguised as a love song, but is actually an ode to a lost friendship, and an imagined dream of one more day like the old days. Reality blurs with feeling again, vocals layer into lullaby, and BADBADNOTGOOD’s bassist Chester Hansen brings that dreamlike quality to a sneaky, cautious but loving undertone. In fact most of the songs on Slow Burn have that stealthy, shadowed feel, like they’re arriving on tiptoe: intimate but a little dangerous, tender but a little mysterious. As complete and compelling a work as this is, Slow Burn points to a bigger, higher ascent in Baby Rose’s future. “I feel boundless,” says Rose. “It’s one thing carrying the weight of the emotion I’m going to bring as a vocalist and lyricist, but now I feel like I’m the head on a body with all these players and artists and other limbs. I’m in love with that process. When you have the right energy and the right synergy,” she says, “all that’s left is to trust yourself.”
TRACK LISTING
1. On My Mind
2. Slow Burn
3. Caroline Feat. Mereba
4. Weekness
5. It’s Alright
6. One Last Dance
BadBadNotGood is the talented young quartet of Matthew Tavares on keys, Chester Hansen on bass, Alex Sowinski on drums & Leland Whitty on saxophone. They formed and became inseparable friends at Humber College's Music Performance program in 2011 and have been on a critically acclaimed, rule bending musical journey ever since. BBNG took the music world by storm with their 2014 LP, 'III', a brash yet refined record of angular jazz improvisations, lush ballads, krautrock and futuristic hip-hop tinged rhythms which led to a couple years of touring the world and collaborating with some of the best and brightest artists around the globe.
The boys are back with the new album 'IV', their most impressive and highly anticipated project yet. IV continues their forward thinking progression, sounding something like a jam session in space between Can, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Weather Report, Arthur Russell and MF DOOM.
With tracks like "Time Moves Slow" featuring haunting vocals from Sam Herring of Future Islands, the syncopated groove of "Lavender," a collaboration with Montreal based producer Kaytranada, the rumbling fusion build of "Confessions Pt. II" featuring Colin Stetson on the bass sax, "Love" which is highlighted with smokey left field raps from Mick Jenkins and the epic chords of "Speaking Gently", 'IV' is an exploration in post-genre virtuosity.
The boys are back with the new album 'IV', their most impressive and highly anticipated project yet. IV continues their forward thinking progression, sounding something like a jam session in space between Can, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Weather Report, Arthur Russell and MF DOOM.
With tracks like "Time Moves Slow" featuring haunting vocals from Sam Herring of Future Islands, the syncopated groove of "Lavender," a collaboration with Montreal based producer Kaytranada, the rumbling fusion build of "Confessions Pt. II" featuring Colin Stetson on the bass sax, "Love" which is highlighted with smokey left field raps from Mick Jenkins and the epic chords of "Speaking Gently", 'IV' is an exploration in post-genre virtuosity.
TRACK LISTING
1: And That, Too
2: Speaking Gently
3: Time Moves Slow Feat. Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands)
4: Confessions Pt Ii Feat. Colin Stetson
5: Lavender Feat. Kaytranada
6: Chompy's Paradise
7: Iv
8: Hyssop Of Love Feat. Mick Jenkins
9: Structure No. 3
10: In Your Eyes Feat. Charlotte Day Wilson
11: Cashmere
THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.
IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).
In a truly unique collaboration, Turnstile team up with Toronto’s jazz ensemble/production team BADBADNOTGOOD to reimagine 3 songs from Turnstile’s critically acclaimed 2021 album GLOW ON. The collaboration brings new dynamics and groove to “Mystery”, “Alien love Call ft. Blood Orange” and “Underwater Boi” BADBADNOTGOOD has previously collaborated with Ghostface Killah, Tyler The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat (earning Grammy nominations with Lamar and Thundercat) Turnstile is coming off an epic last 2 years which has seen them propelled to new heights with 3 Grammy nominations, Top 10 Alternative radio hits, rave reviews from major publications worldwide, multiple Late Night Television appearances and exponential tour growth. The band has continued a diverse run of festival appearances with main slot appearances on Coachella, Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, Furnace Fest and most recently Rolling Loud in Miami.
IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).
In a truly unique collaboration, Turnstile team up with Toronto’s jazz ensemble/production team BADBADNOTGOOD to reimagine 3 songs from Turnstile’s critically acclaimed 2021 album GLOW ON. The collaboration brings new dynamics and groove to “Mystery”, “Alien love Call ft. Blood Orange” and “Underwater Boi” BADBADNOTGOOD has previously collaborated with Ghostface Killah, Tyler The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat (earning Grammy nominations with Lamar and Thundercat) Turnstile is coming off an epic last 2 years which has seen them propelled to new heights with 3 Grammy nominations, Top 10 Alternative radio hits, rave reviews from major publications worldwide, multiple Late Night Television appearances and exponential tour growth. The band has continued a diverse run of festival appearances with main slot appearances on Coachella, Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, Furnace Fest and most recently Rolling Loud in Miami.
TRACK LISTING
1. Mystery
2. Alien Love Call Ft. Blood Orange
3. Underwater Boi
BADBADNOTGOOD return with their highly anticipated album, "Talk Memory", the sixth full length excursion from this Canadian trio if you count their collaboration with Ghostface Killah amongst their discography. Collaborators include legendary composer Arthur Verocai and contemporary icons such as Terrace Martin, Karriem Riggins and Laraaji.
It's high octane, ambitious and noisy, modern jazz set firmly in present times and holding no punches with its delivery. The boys can play, make no mistake, effortlessly drifting from languid passages to all-out throttle. Considering there's only three of them, it's a full and realized sound; slightly gritty but sophisticated in its execution; with each musician challenging the next to out-better themselves. As the songs swirl into a mighty cresendo you can almost picture them trying to compete with each for dexterity and flair... I'm sure they'd be an amazing prospect live.
Favourite moment for me is the opener of disc two, "Love Proceeding", featuring Arthur Verocia, which glides in on optimistic and cinematic sax before erupting into an explosion of augmented 7s and frenzied drums; the ultimate example of jazz's fusion of tension and release; a formular that's executed with aplomb throughout the album.
Advanced and highly accomplished, "Talk Memory" finds these bastions of modern jazz in exquisite form. Recommended.
It's high octane, ambitious and noisy, modern jazz set firmly in present times and holding no punches with its delivery. The boys can play, make no mistake, effortlessly drifting from languid passages to all-out throttle. Considering there's only three of them, it's a full and realized sound; slightly gritty but sophisticated in its execution; with each musician challenging the next to out-better themselves. As the songs swirl into a mighty cresendo you can almost picture them trying to compete with each for dexterity and flair... I'm sure they'd be an amazing prospect live.
Favourite moment for me is the opener of disc two, "Love Proceeding", featuring Arthur Verocia, which glides in on optimistic and cinematic sax before erupting into an explosion of augmented 7s and frenzied drums; the ultimate example of jazz's fusion of tension and release; a formular that's executed with aplomb throughout the album.
Advanced and highly accomplished, "Talk Memory" finds these bastions of modern jazz in exquisite form. Recommended.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: BadBadNotGood return for their first LP for XL Recordings, with their trademark enthusiastic jazz fusion sound in full force, bolstered with a number of huge music industry names. It's yet another groundbreaking juxtaposition of loungey downbeat jazz and rhythmic hip-hop, both innovative and warmingly familiar.TRACK LISTING
1. Signal From The Noise
2. Unfolding (Momentum 73) Featuring Laraajii
3. City Of Mirrors Featuring Arthur Verocai
4. Beside April Featuring Karriem Riggins, Arthur Verocai
5. Love Proceeding Featuring Arthur Verocai
6. Open Channels (physical Only)
7. Timid, Intimidating
8. Beside April (Reprise) Featuring Arthur Verocai
9. Talk Meaning Featuring Arthur Verocai, Terrace Martin And Brandee Younger
‘Visions’ is a new collaborative album from BADBADNOTGOOD co-founders, Matthew Tavares and Leland Whitty. The Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum producers have been performing and writing music together for 10 years. They have achieved international acclaim with BADBADNOTGOOD and Tavares’ recent solo single ’Self-Portrait’ has been championed by tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson and Benji B. ‘Visions’ is the latest upshot of their incredibly fruitful partnership.
Recorded in Toronto, it was produced by Tavares and Whitty - with Tavares also mixing the album and arranging strings. After a three-week writing period it was played in its entirety in one continuous studio session; almost all the tracks on the album are the first take. Tavares is on piano and guitar, Whitty on saxophone and flute. The rhythm section of Julian Anderson-Bowes on bass and Matthew Chalmers on drums completes the players. They make an impressive collective and are performing at the peak of their powers.
Conceptually the album is a canvas for a combination of composition and group free-form improvisation. Tavares and Whitty are the sole composers, but with some tracks collectively improvised, there is also a group dynamic running through the album. The outcome is a sublime melting pot of modern jazz, impressionist classical music and Arthur Verocai-esque arrangements. It is a sound that is hard to date; it is certainly of the now but is also reminiscent of a lost classic. Similar to the process of its creation, the optimal listening experience for ‘Visions’ is in its entirety. As a coherent body of work it draws the listener in with waves of intensity and crescendos that release back into tranquility - there is both darkness and light in the album’s narrative arc. There is also rawness and honesty to the music, which makes it feel like an intensely personal and intimate offering.
Recorded in Toronto, it was produced by Tavares and Whitty - with Tavares also mixing the album and arranging strings. After a three-week writing period it was played in its entirety in one continuous studio session; almost all the tracks on the album are the first take. Tavares is on piano and guitar, Whitty on saxophone and flute. The rhythm section of Julian Anderson-Bowes on bass and Matthew Chalmers on drums completes the players. They make an impressive collective and are performing at the peak of their powers.
Conceptually the album is a canvas for a combination of composition and group free-form improvisation. Tavares and Whitty are the sole composers, but with some tracks collectively improvised, there is also a group dynamic running through the album. The outcome is a sublime melting pot of modern jazz, impressionist classical music and Arthur Verocai-esque arrangements. It is a sound that is hard to date; it is certainly of the now but is also reminiscent of a lost classic. Similar to the process of its creation, the optimal listening experience for ‘Visions’ is in its entirety. As a coherent body of work it draws the listener in with waves of intensity and crescendos that release back into tranquility - there is both darkness and light in the album’s narrative arc. There is also rawness and honesty to the music, which makes it feel like an intensely personal and intimate offering.
TRACK LISTING
Through The Looking Glass
Woah
Blue
Symbols Of Transformation
Visions Of You
Eyes
Awakenings
Heat Of The Moon
Black Magic
Symbols Of Transformation II
Living Water Assembly
Canadian Jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD unite with Swedish electronic band Little Dragon for their beautiful and melancholic single, Tried.The single follows a myriad of successful collaborations from BADBADNOTGOOD with Kendrick Lamar, Kali Uchis, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat, Kaytranada, Charlotte Day Wilson and Sam Herring (Future Islands) and Little Dragon’s 2018 “Lover Chanting” EP.
STAFF COMMENTS
Millie says: BADBADNOTGOOD's new collaboration with Little Dragon demonstrates their mellow side of beautifully slowed-down jazz rhythm, matched with the sweet vocals of Little Dragon is a heavenly retreat for the ears.TRACK LISTING
A1. Tried
B1. Tried (Instrumental)
Canadian quartet BADBADNOTGOOD take on creating the ultimate “late night” selection of tracks from their record collections. The original trio of Matthew Tavares, Alex Sowinski and Chester Hansen formed while studying music at Toronto’s Humber College (they’ve recently added Leland Whitty to the line-up). A shared appreciation of hip hop and instrumental covers of Gucci Mane and Earl Sweatshirt suggested a worldly outlook and reciprocated love from Tyler The Creator and Ghostface Killah, which whom they made 2015’s Sour Soul.
This is an international effort: Velly Joonas’ Estonian version of ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’, Kiki Gyan, Admas and Francis Bebey representing Africa (Ghana, Ethiopia and Cameroon respectively), Les Prospection from France, Scots’ Boards Of Canada and fellow Canucks River Tiber and Charlotte Day Wilson.
Finally, there’s the no-small-matter of the Late Night Tales cover version, in which BADBADNOTGOOD take on Andy Shauf’s ‘To You’ is turned into a mournful delight. while the Queen Of Siam herself, Lydia Lunch, delivers a sexual sermon involving only you, her and Jim Beam.
“We were really excited to have the chance to put together a Late Night Tales compilation, it’s a great organisation. We decided to use it as a vehicle to show everyone all the amazing music we have gotten to experience by touring and meeting new people. Every track on this comp was either shown to us by an incredible person or made by one of our friends. We also included a little cover of a song by one of our favourite current musicians, Andy Shauf.
These artists, as well as many, many others, have infuenced us to create and kept our deep love of music alive. This mix will keep you company on a quiet night by yourself or with friends. You can check it out on the plane, the bus, a long walk, or any situation where you want a soundtrack for reflection and meditation.” - BADBADNOTGOOD May 2017
This is an international effort: Velly Joonas’ Estonian version of ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’, Kiki Gyan, Admas and Francis Bebey representing Africa (Ghana, Ethiopia and Cameroon respectively), Les Prospection from France, Scots’ Boards Of Canada and fellow Canucks River Tiber and Charlotte Day Wilson.
Finally, there’s the no-small-matter of the Late Night Tales cover version, in which BADBADNOTGOOD take on Andy Shauf’s ‘To You’ is turned into a mournful delight. while the Queen Of Siam herself, Lydia Lunch, delivers a sexual sermon involving only you, her and Jim Beam.
“We were really excited to have the chance to put together a Late Night Tales compilation, it’s a great organisation. We decided to use it as a vehicle to show everyone all the amazing music we have gotten to experience by touring and meeting new people. Every track on this comp was either shown to us by an incredible person or made by one of our friends. We also included a little cover of a song by one of our favourite current musicians, Andy Shauf.
These artists, as well as many, many others, have infuenced us to create and kept our deep love of music alive. This mix will keep you company on a quiet night by yourself or with friends. You can check it out on the plane, the bus, a long walk, or any situation where you want a soundtrack for reflection and meditation.” - BADBADNOTGOOD May 2017
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Given their ardent love of the hippidy hop, I was half expecting a baked set of golden age head nodders here, but instead the peerless modern jazz ensemble offer up a gorgeous stroll through cinematic soul, soft focus pop and gems mined from all over the globe on this excellent addition to the Late Night Tales catalogue. Watch out for the Steve Kuhn cut - that shizzle could bring a tear to a glass eye!TRACK LISTING
CD - Mixed
1. Boards Of Canada - Olson
2. Erasmo Carlos - Vida Antiga
3. Gene Williams - Don't Let Your Love Fade Away
4. The Chosen Few - People Make The World Go Round
5. Esther Phillips - Home Is Where The Hatred Is
6. Delegation - Oh Honey
7. Velly Joonas - Kaes On Aeg
8. Stereolab - The Flower Called Nowhere
9. Kiki Gyan - Disco Dancer
10. Admas Anchi - Bale Game
11. Francis Bebey - Sanza Nocturne
12. Thundercat - For Love I Come
13. River Tiber Ft Daniel Caesar - West
14. Charlotte Day Wilson - Work
15. The Beach Boys - Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
16. Donnie & Joe Emerson - Baby
17. Les Prospection - Lido
18. Grady Tate - And I Love Her
19. BADBADNOTGOOD - To You (Exclusive Andy Shauf Cover Version)
20. Steve Kuhn - The Meaning Of Love
21. Lydia Lunch - You, Me And Jim Beam (Exclusive Spoken Word Piece)
LP
A Side:
A1 Boards Of Canada - Olson
A2 Erasmo Carlos - Vida Antiga
A3 Gene Williams - Don’t Let Your Love Fade Away
A4 The Chosen Few – People Make The World Go Round
A5 Esther Phillips - Home Is Where The Hatred Is
A6 Delegation – Oh Honey
B Side
B1 Velly Joonas - Käes On Aeg
B2 Stereolab – The Flower Called Nowhere
B3 Kiki Gyan – Disco Dancer
B4 Admas – Anchi Bale Game
C Side:
C1 Francis Bebey – Sanza Nocturne
C2 Thundercat - For Love I Come
C3 River Tiber Ft. Daniel Caesar – West
C4 Charlotte Day Wilson – Work
C5 The Beach Boys - Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
C6 Donnie & Joe Emerson – Baby
D Side:
D1 Les Prospections – Lido
D2 Grady Tate – And I Love Her
D3 Badbadnotgood – To You
(Exclusive Andy Shauf Cover Version)
D4 Steve Kuhn – The Meaning Of Love
D5 Lydia Lunch - You, Me And Jim Beam (Exclusive Spoken Word Piece)