The Canadian instrumental psychedelic jazz band are back with their first album in five years, showing why they've had an enduring mainstream impact.
Canadian ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD has released its highly anticipated psychedelic jazz album Talk Memory – out now via XL Recordings / Remote Control Records.
Part of the reason it’s so anticipated is the band are particularly unique. Instrumental psychedelic jazz with accompanying sheet music on release, followed up by a newsletter called The Memory Catalogue – capturing the BBNG ‘universe’ – which fold out into posters of illustrated artwork. They’re truly an artistic project.
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The release of the band’s fifth studio album is also coupled with an accompanying video for ‘Love Proceeding’, and follows singles ‘Signal From the Noise’, and ‘Beside April’, composed in conjunction with legendary Brazilian composer Arthur Verocai and featuring iconic drummer/producer Karriem Riggins (J Dilla, Madlib).
The black and white video directed by Jamal Burger portrays the bond between two brothers looking after themselves while their mom works late.
Talk Memory features 9 new songs and includes musical contributions from Arthur Verocai, Karriem Riggins, Terrace Martin, Laraaji and acclaimed harpist Brandee Younger, who has worked with Moses Sumney and Thundercat.
Sporting visuals from Virgil Abloh, whose design firm Alaska-Alaska designed the cover for Talk Memory, the album is an evolution focused on collaboration and the magic of improvised live performance. The band also recently performed at Virgil Abloh’s Met Galaafterparty where they jammed with Kid Cudi. Demonstrating emotional and poetic progress, the new album is an aural odyssey and a heartfelt expression of joy for the music and community the band considers itself lucky to inhabit.
Of the album, BBNG says: “It took a year or two of just living life to get to the place where the creative process was exciting again and once we actually went in to the studio it was the most concise recording and writing process we’ve ever had. We hope that the improvised studio performances bring the listener closer to our live experience.”
Check out our feature on the modern day artists revolutionising the jazz genre here.
In support of the album’s release, the trio shares the sheet music for ‘Love Proceeding’ along with interpretations of singles ‘Signal From the Noise’ and ‘Beside April’, which live on the band’s website on dedicated channels within their tv player here – badbadnotgood.com.
Additionally, BBNG is set to put out the third issue of The Memory Catalogue, a series of world-building newsletters featuring exclusive content (sheet music, illustrated artwork, unseen photos, etc.) that fold out into a poster. Issue 3 allows fans to peek behind the curtain of the BBNG universe.
Buy / Listen BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory
