'Here, Somewhere' by Banksia

There's something of an elegant evolutionary path that Banksia's music has navigated when you connect the dots of past releases leading up to 'Here, Somewhere'.  A renowned DJ who can boast having performed alongside acts including Major Lazer, Mura Masa and Chris Lake, Vasu Patel's 'Banksia' moniker has perhaps most notably been attributed to that of an advocate for electronic music and club culture.

Having spent time growing up in London, Zambia, Australia and now based in San Francisco, Patel adds his name to a small crop of musical scientists that have proved well-versed in being able to make their mark within varying musical genres and styles.  

But while there are some notable names that have made music that sits in the exquisite middle ground between jazz and electronica (K15, Kaidi Tatham, Uniri, Natural Lateral), 'Here, Somewhere' doesn't seem like a project that is attempting to straddle the space between two disparate musical realms - more like it's a project that is actively journeying from one to the other.  As the old adage declares, 'to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been' so although this project finds Patel embracing a comparatively new foray into jazz, his well-established credentials as a DJ and electronic music producer leave their own indelible imprint on these exciting new explorations.

Much like the equally sensational 'Clay' EP released prior, Patel's efforts on that project serve as the perfect precursor to the treasures that are unearthed on 'Here, Somewhere'.  Across the project's five compositions, we're treated to some beautifully composed pieces that centre around the piano but showcase the talents of some excellent performers that breathe scintillating life into 'Here, Somewhere'.

There's another element to 'Here, Somewhere' that provides a wonderful synergy between Patel's dalliance from life as a DJ to that of a jazz musician and that is through the concept of improvisation.  Two of the EP's tracks have been included as solely improvised pieces - untampered with and unveiled as they were originally recorded which serves as a fascinating transition from performing to an audience from behind the decks.  

As a musician, the discipline of improvisation has long been rooted in the ability to listen to the players performing alongside you, to respond in kind, to know when to take the lead and when to support; as a DJ, improvisation works in the same way - the ability to listen to an audience is equally key, to assess how they're responding to what's being played and to be able to change what you're doing completely to accommodate what that audience wants.  It's certainly an artform in of itself and a discipline that relies on being able to put ego aside for the benefit of the bigger picture.

Throughout this review, we've touched a couple of times upon the notion that 'Here, Somewhere' is the product of the Banksia releases that have come before.  This EP is by no means the destination reached however - it's encouraging to consider that as exceptional as 'Here, Somewhere' is, it will no doubt serve as the precursor to Vasu Patel's next evolutionary milestone amidst the grander mosaic of Banksia projects.

You can pre-save and buy your copy of the EP via the following link:

https://banksia.komi.io/music/here-somwhere