I do love bands and musicians who can surprise you and this certainly does. Having been a relatively recent convert to Tenderlonious and 22a in general but this release blew away any preconceived ideas about either.
Having heard that Tenderlonious had recorded some drum and bass tracks in the past so it wasn’t so much of a shock but it’s still a departure from his previous work and position as one of the leading lights of the UK contemporary jazz scene. This is a techno / house album with nods to the spiritual homes of both Detroit and Chicago and it’s pioneers like Larry Heard, Carl Craig and Juan Atkins.
It retains the warmth, humanity and soul of it’s peers work and also Tenderlonious’s while pushing the boundaries of what the UK jazz scene is capable of achieving. An astonishing album on many levels.
Available here https://pebblerecords.co.uk/product/tenderlonious-hard-rain-22a-lp/
