The spark of creativity is a fascinating thing. Sometimes with all the best intentions - and time - you can come up with nothing when needed and sometimes the best ideas can present themselves within a matter of moments. In turn, examining the effect of creativity within the quarantine lifestyle as was a part of our lives in 2020 was equally intriguing: with those small elements of freedom that each of us take for granted no longer accessible - being able to see friends and family, to travel, to dine out, etc - creativity ground to an abrupt and upsetting halt for many.
Conversely, the last year can also be seen as a challenge that many have risen to - the need to continually create, even in less-than-inspirational circumstances, has led to some wonderful and inspired ideas and projects... which leads us to this thrilling new release from Matt Wilde.
Wilde's debut four-track EP - 'Believe in Things' - of course delivers as a wonderful response to events of the last year, while also serving as a project indicative of Manchester's booming hub of beats-inspired productions. From its celebration of diverse club culture, hip-hop, dance and electronica, Manchester has long been at the forefront of an open-minded approach to music. And it's a perspective shared by Wilde and wonderfully realised by the producer and musician.
'Believe in Things' boasts intricately woven, multi-textured compositions that celebrate hip-hop's influence on contemporary UK jazz. Having been surrounded by strong hip-hop influences for years, Wilde's affection for the piano eventually grew following introductions to jazz and the music of revered Miles Davis collaborator Bill Evans, jazz-funk legend Herbie Hancock and "American classical music" icon Ahmad Jamal. The fusion of the two worlds was the union that made sense, particularly in light of the tracks presented on 'Believe in Things'.
Accompanying Wilde on piano, the project is brought to life by an excellent selection of musicians including Aaron Wood on trumpet and flugelhorn, Oscar Ogden on drums and Ben Carr on bass guitar. While the music may have been born out of less than joyous times, the music presented here is absolutely a celebration and will remain a real feather in the cap for the comparatively young label, Root Records. If projects like these will go on to represent the label going forward then their lineage will no doubt one day resemble that of their parent label, DeepMatter Records.
We look forward to more from Matt Wilde in time to come and the hope that future music will be the result of happier times.
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