Don't Forget To Have Fun!

Following singles ‘First Touch’, ‘Emerald’ & ‘All Seeds’, Don Glori unleashes his brand new album, with one message - Don’t Forget To Have Fun!

A product of the not-so-underground, genre-bending melting pot that is Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori (AKA Gordon Li) unleashes his brand new album ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’ via DeepMatter Records.

Following the release of his much-heralded 2022 LP ‘Welcome’, a subsequent sweep of the Australian festival circuit and an EU / UK tour, Don found himself straight back in the studio but coming up short this time around. He explains: “Don't Forget To Have Fun was initially recorded in mid-2022 after several months touring my first album Welcome and at a semi-tumultuous time in my life. Add in a tough 3 days in the studio - broken equipment, illness, burnout from the touring, 40-degree Australian summer heat, a bike accident, and I was left finding it quite hard to enjoy the music. All these things combined made me decide to put the DFTHF session recordings on ice indefinitely.”

Following his relocation to London, UK in 2023, Don managed to tap into a potent creative current, by taking himself to a place of discomfort, and taking his creative back to basics - allowing additional room for experimentation. He says “I revisited the album after moving to London in May 2023, I was living in a tiny room with barely any equipment and my only income was from the slight bit of touring I was doing which was all going towards rent and groceries. It was a good opportunity to redefine the songs from the DFTHF sessions and inject some new life into them. I had just finished touring Europe, moved to a new city, didn’t know anyone, and had all the free time in the world to experiment with wacky, zany ideas. In the end, I re-recorded a lot of the parts on the record in the kitchen of my Whitechapel flat while my housemates were at work. (You can hear the ambulances in the background when you isolate some of the tracks)”.

This invigorating approach helped distill the initial album sketches into a compelling and intoxicating listening experience - with all tracks sharing similar subtle themes and commonalities running throughout. Album opener ‘Pause’ pairs psychedelic influences with a cyclic loping groove and focuses on recognising a safe space that can act as a refuge. Taking inspiration from Steely Dan, Brian Bennett & Azymuth, ‘Emerald’ channels Jazz rock, 70's LA studio energy, with the faster funk sections featuring an unruly amount of mouth percussion, synth lead lines, and vocal melodies that weave in and around the tight horn arrangements. ‘All Seeds’ is a heady blend of samba and Brazilian street soul, with field recordings of Don’s old house in Melbourne providing additional seasoning. ‘First Touch’ is a downtempo 80’s boogie-infused gem, keeping proceedings nice and sleazy. The final three movements move through one fluid composition, charting the disorientating course of a fever dream, through beguiling astral travels, unexplainable occurrences, and transcendent moments.

On the album’s title, Don explains: ‘The name Don't Forget To Have Fun is a nice reminder to myself about the journey of the album. How you can change the narrative by keeping a positive attitude, trusting the process and continually experimenting.’ A true work of art, traversing jazz, funk, soul, RnB, samba and beyond, this record is hard to describe, but even harder to forget.

Natty Reeves returns with new single 'Bloom', featuring trumpeter Jackson Mathod

It’s been a couple of years since we last heard new music from Brighton-based songwriter and producer Natty Reeves. As will become evident upon listening to new single ‘Bloom’, it’s been time well spent crafting a distinctive sound shifting away from hip-hop, and deeper into the world of Brazilian music.

Natty encourages listeners to look out for new opportunities, and not be afraid to take a leap of faith. Working with trumpet player and serial collaborator Jackson Mathod, he creates a gentle atmosphere, blending rhythmic percussion with serene guitars and warm horn layers. He shares:

“This was the first song I made for this project, and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the EP. I want to give a massive thanks to my good friend Jackson Mathod for playing horns on this - I’ve always admired his playing and he really gave this track a lift!”

Informed in equal parts by the songwriting discipline of artists including Ben Watt and James Taylor, as well as the deep harmonic and rhythmic language of Brazilian jazz pioneers João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, Natty’s forthcoming ‘Mist Over Water’ EP sees him craft a sound that is distinctly his own. Stripped back and raw, the music places Spanish guitar and Natty’s vocals front-and-centre for a free-flowing, tender journey, during which he reflects on the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of looking inwards to grow without putting too much pressure on each moment.

“I wanted to make a project that felt honest to who I am, something that represented my thoughts at this stage of my life. Recently I’ve been thinking about second chances, new growth and how fleeting life is - coming back to the sounds and rhythms I love, not trying too hard to make something that people would find impressive, this is a bit more introspective and forgiving of myself. I just hope that listeners enjoy the sounds and find some peace of their own in these songs!”

As well as working on ‘Mist Over Water’, Natty has been hard at work on other projects. Released earlier this year under his instrumental hip-hop alias Astairé, his ‘Greener Days’ EP is a tasteful blend of hip-hop sensibilities with bossa-nova-tinged passages and uplifting improvisatory flavours. A prolific writer and sought-after collaborator in his own right, he’s also collaborated with the likes of Matt Wilde, Simon Jefferis and Abhi The Nomad. 

Don Glori fuses Samba and Brazilian street soul on 'All Seeds'

Don Glori is arriving hot with a heady blend of Samba and Brazilian street soul, with field recordings of Don’s old house in Melbourne providing additional seasoning. ‘

The final offering lifted from his forthcoming record 'Don't Forget To Have Fun' sees a deeper dive into Don Glori's album with the track 'All Seeds' - a heady blend of Samba and Brazilian street soul that fills the track from the beginning, with further sprinkles of flavouring from the tenor saxophone and clavinet weaving throughout, as the groove-filled track is topped off with field recordings of Don’s old house in Melbourne providing additional seasoning.

Listen to all the singles below, and pre-order the LP in black + limited edition smoked blue vinyl now via Bandcamp and the DeepMatter Store.

Myele Manzanza returns with his latest single 'Pencarrow'

Returning with his first single since the release of ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol. 4 – Meditations’, Myele Manzanza gets the band back together for a continuation of the fluid trio aesthetics established on the record.

Uniting once again with pianist Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) and bassist Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective), the track sees Manzanza and his trio at their electric, communicative best. Captured in New York as part of the sessions for ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol. 4’, the composition is an ode to the beautiful Pencarrow headland in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Reflecting the rocky, windswept coastline and the quiet isolation prevalent for those living in that area of New Zealand’s north island, the initial musical idea came to Myele whilst on one of many long walks and runs along the Pencarrow coast. He shares:

“Pencarrow is a beautiful headland in the Wellington region of New Zealand, down the coast from a suburb called Eastbourne where I had the good fortune of living for a few years. There's a trail that follows the coastline down to the Pencarrow lighthouses that guide the way for ships entering the Wellington harbour. It's a very exposed and isolated area with high winds and occasionally treacherous ocean waves that crash into the stark, rocky coastline, and steep hills. I would often go for runs or long walks down the coast, and it offered a place to clear my head and get my thoughts straight.”

Known for his genre-spanning, infectiously vibrant music, drummer and composer Myele Manzanza puts rhythm at the front and centre of his work, framing it as the universal life pulse that governs movement, an intuitive connection between body and sound. Having established himself as one of the most energetic and exciting jazz musicians within the thriving worldwide scene, the New Zealand-born, London-based artist has made a major impact on the global music landscape. A founding member of Electric Wire Hustle, he has eleven solo releases to his name and racked up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose and Amp Fiddler amongst others.

Having developed a strong live presence in his new London base, his band has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, Alfa Mist, and drawing packed houses to esteemed venues such as The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott’s where he hosts a monthly residency. Over the past three years, the first four instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series have seen Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more. 

The Offline - Les Cavaliers

Cinematic-soul maestro The Offline is back and continuing to brew his signature blend of sunny, cinematic soul on his latest offering, ‘Les Cavaliers’.

Again channelling the spirit of film composers from the 1960s and 70s like Brian Bennet & David Axelrod, ‘Les Cavaliers’ reunites the colourful cast of musical characters found on ‘La couleur de la mer’, including Chris Hill (Drums), Hans-Christian Stephan (Flugelhorn) and Kimo Eiserbeck (Flute). A continuation of The Offline’s ongoing homage to surf spots in the south of France, the playful tune captures the warm summer breeze, the taste of salt in the air, and the laid-back atmosphere that so often comes with the sun beating down on a glorious coastal day. On the track, The Offline shares:

“Les Cavaliers pays tribute to the Aquitaine region of France, which has been a big influence on my music. The track came about a few days after my debut album was released, capturing a moment of relief to turn the page on one chapter, yet anticipation of what will come.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. 

The Offline - La couleur de la mer - 12" Vinyl

£22.00

Add to cart

Don Glori unleashes 9 minute funk-fuelled gem 'Emerald'

Melbourne-raised, now London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Don Glori channels Mildlife, Azymuth and Steely Dan on bopping psych-jazz-funk cut 'Emerald'.

A mainstay in Don’s live set, the track finally gets the studio treatment, channelling 70s LA studio energy into lush, synth-laden soundscapes, weaving horn lines, floating vocal melodies and grooving funk sections featuring an unruly amount of mouth percussion. 

This is the second single from his forthcoming album ‘Don’t Forget to Have Fun’, out June 7th of DeepMatter Records, following the release of the album’s first offering ‘First Touch’.

Listen to both tracks below, and pre-order the LP in black + limited edition smoked blue vinyl now via Bandcamp and the DeepMatter Store.

Quinn Oulton - So Much More

Reflecting upon the effects of Parkinson's Disease, Quinn Oulton releases ‘So Much More’, a touching tribute to his late Grandmother.

Quinn Oulton's ‘So Much More’ is a poignant reflection upon the life of his grandmother, who lived with Parkinson’s Disease for as long as he can remember. Written from the perspective of Quinn’s grandmother, the track details her fighting spirit and love for life, despite the adversities she faced. It’s a deeply moving tribute to a woman who had no time for self-pity but spent a lifetime pouring love into the world and helping others. Quinn contrasts his tender lyrical approach with a frenetic combination of acoustic guitar, electronics and dulcet saxophone tones, creating a musical representation of the complexities of living with Parkinson’s.

On the track, he shares:"This track is dedicated to my grandma, GK, who had Parkinson’s for almost as long as I can remember. She was cheated out of life experiences, but despite being born into unimaginably difficult circumstances and fighting for a life she was proud of, she didn’t wallow in self-pity. Instead, she took it upon herself to learn every dark detail about the disease that was eating away at her, and focused her brilliant mind on helping others in any way they needed.”

Jerk announces new album 'Mood Swings' with first taster, '27'

Jerk returns to some of their core influences, embracing vulnerability, and an authentic experience of the self on the forthcoming ‘Mood Swings’ album.

Lead single ‘27’, sets about introducing some of the themes at the core of the album, including trans-rights and gender identity. Marking both Jerk’s age at the time of creating the record, whilst also putting a critical microscope to American lawmakers’ attempts to raise the age of consent for medical transitioning, they comment:

“Though the age of consent for medical transition has historically been 18, a new push began to raise it to 27 citing brain development as a process that continues through age 26. Reflecting, I was feeling as true to my gender identity at 27 as when I was 15. 27 is a sonic exploration of that idea –an ethos established by a tune played on the Fender Rhodes, stretched, developed and deepened via a lush saxophone solo, returning to its original ethos as one always does.”

Listen to ‘27’ on all platforms

The upcoming album is an eclectic collection of pieces spanning varying compositional and production styles, captured on analogue instrumentation. Warm saxophone tones, glistening Fender Rhodes and cyclical beats encompass the project, with weaving synths adding to Jerk’s tapestry of sounds. The project channels some of Jerk’s earliest influences, taking onboard the beatmaking sensibilities of J Dilla and Madlib, the Brazilian rhythms and textures of Hermeto Pascoal, and the uplifting sonics of Patrice Rushen and Earth Wind & Fire. Jerk shares:

“Mood Swings is a collection of 12 pieces reflecting on gender and mental health. 2022 was a year of political strife for transgender people in America, and a time where I was experiencing some intense emotions–dysphoria, derealization, grief, and romantic love and loss. I wanted to write music embracing this very authentic and vulnerable experience of self.”

Jerk is the brainchild of composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Kinney. Based in Brooklyn, NY, they explore the connection between jazz and hip-hop, with compositions blurring the lines between hip-hop beats and instrumental jazz compositions. Their music has found support across BBCR6, Reprezent Radio, Soho Radio and Jazz FM.

Introducing: Don Glori + new single 'First Touch'

We’re extremely excited to introduce you to the latest member of the DeepMatter family, Melbourne’s-own, Don Glori, who today releases his first single with DeepMatter - ‘First Touch’.

A product of the not-so-underground, genre-bending melting pot that is Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori (AKA Gordon Li) prepares to unleash his forthcoming album ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’ via DeepMatter Records.

Offering up a first taste of the record with synth-laden, midnight-soul bop ‘First Touch’, the music follows the release of his much-heralded 2022 LP ‘Welcome’, a subsequent sweep of the Australian festival circuit and an EU / UK tour. Following this, Don found himself straight back in the studio but coming up short, he explains:

He explains:  “Don't Forget To Have Fun was initially recorded in mid 2022 after several months touring my first album Welcome and at a semi-tumultuous time in my life. Add in a tough 3 days in the studio - broken equipment, illness, burn out from the touring, 40 degree Australian summer heat, a bike accident, and I was left finding it quite hard to enjoy the music. All these things combined made me decide to put the DFTHF session recordings on ice indefinitely.”

Following his relocation to London, UK in 2023, Don managed to tap in to a potent creative current, by taking himself to a place of discomfort, and taking his creative back to basics - allowing additional room for experimentation. He says “I revisited the album after moving to London in May 2023, I was living in a tiny room with barely any equipment and my only income was from the slight bit of touring I was doing which was all going towards rent and groceries. It was a good opportunity to redefine the songs from the DFTHF sessions and inject some new life into them. I had just finished touring Europe, moved to a new city, didn’t know anyone, and had all the free time in the world to experiment with wacky, zany ideas. In the end I re-recorded a lot of the parts on the record in the kitchen of my Whitechapel flat while my housemates were at work. (You can hear the ambulances in the background when you isolate some of the tracks)”.

This invigorating approach helped distil the initial album sketches into a compelling and intoxicating listening experience - with all tracks sharing similar subtle themes and commonalities running throughout. Lead single ‘First Touch’ strikes a seductive tone, with a trance-inducing groove and soundscape channelling the energy of late-night soul and instrumental cuts from the likes of Lynda Dawn, Sade and John Carrol Kirby.

On the album’s title, Don explains: ‘The name Don't Forget To Have Fun is a nice reminder to myself about the journey of the album. How you can change the narrative by keeping a positive attitude, trusting the process and continually experimenting.’ A true work of art, traversing jazz, funk, soul, RnB, samba and beyond, this record is hard to describe, but even harder to forget.

Myele Manzanza - Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations [Out now on digital + 12" vinyl)

Rhythmic shaman Myele Manzanza returns to his jazz roots on his brand new album, ‘Meditations, the fourth edition of his highly applauded ‘Crisis & Opportunity’ series.

Over the past two years, the first three instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series saw Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more. The latter of these offerings extended Myele's sound deeper into the electronic world, venturing further into dance & club territory. From this underground energy, the steady swing of life’s pendulum reaches its apex, so we see Myele revert to a purely acoustic line-up, channeling a focussed and razor-sharp return to his Jazz roots on ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations’. Showcasing an incredible level of musicianship between three musicians at the top of their game - including Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) on piano and Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective) on double bass - the trio exchange motifs over the length of 7 tracks.

Talking about the record, Myele explains: ‘ With this album, I’m yearning for the music itself to hold space. The title 'Meditations' suits the more interior mood of the music too. This is a solitary & introverted album compared to my previous works. I’m not trying to entertain you. I’m not trying to make you dance. Not on this record. With the interference of modern technology on our lives and how so much of our attention is tethered to the digital world, perhaps this album is a small rebellion against that. At least in the sense that it’s a purely acoustic album. It relies on the interplay of three musicians, listening to each other and making spontaneous decisions in order to execute the music. The quality of the sound directly reflects each person’s artistry, command of their instrument, physical technique and mental acuity.”

Opening proceedings with frenetic rhythmic improvisation, complimented by melancholic and cinematic layers of sound, ‘Crayford’s Room’ is a tribute to Myele’s musical mentor back in New Zealand. Remembering his time as a student in Wellington, Myele shows his deep connection to his origins, manifesting itself as lament on ‘Winter’ and ‘Homesick’. Introducing hypnotic, contemplative melodies take centre stage on ‘Something Old Something New’ (the first single to be released from the project)’ It maintains a sense of tension and intrigue throughout, and intensity rises to a crescendo sending sonic particles sprawling into space.

Intuitive, darker and deeply contemplative, Myele Manzanza shares his innermost thoughts on ‘Crisis and Opportunities Vol.4 - Meditations’. He divulges ‘The personal angst and existential frustration I was going through across 2020 - 2022 I believe is well reflected here. The album is deeply informed by the musicianship and sound of my trio, Matthew Sheens on piano and Matt Penman on double bass. Knowing that musicians of their calibre were going to be involved gave me licence to go further in my writing, deploying odd time signatures, sharing the melody roles across the piano and the bass, and delving deeper into the nuances of what the acoustic piano / bass / drums trio can do. The compositions present a challenge even to the best musicians, and I knew that it was essential to have a team on this level to really move the music beyond an academic exercise and draw out the emotion and colour from the material.’