Electric Wire Hustle – The 11th Sky (LP, Bastard Jazz)

Limited vinyl LP pressing. 2016 release. Expanding on their psychedelic-soul sound, The 11th Sky continues the surreal storytelling of last year’s Aeons EP, which featured Kimbra and Deva Mahal on vocals. This album is described as “David Lynch meets Motown” by frontman and producer Mara TK, and indeed, a sense of the otherworldly is present here within EWH’s layered electronic production and Mara’s soaring vocals. Tracks like “Go Slow” walk into the genre-fog amongst drum machines and synthesizers. Meanwhile “I Light A Candle” with it’s piano, chopped vocal samples, towering strings and 808s strikes right at the heart of soul music. Electric Wire Hustle’s last album Love Can Prevail found support from The New York Times, BBC Radio and Wax Poetics, and won Best Electronic Album at the New Zealand Music Awards, continuing a track record of critical acclaim that started with their debut self-titled album.