Since the start of the 2010s, the Bristolian experimental trio Jabu, made up of Jasmine Butt (vocals/guitar), Alex Rendall (vocals/keys) and Amos Childs (producer/bassist), seamlessly explore emotional, misty and crepuscular atmospheric sound fringes, incorporating a rich gamut of spiced fragrances straddling ambient, trip-hop, shoegaze, dub, neo-soul, pop, post-R’n’B and UK underground electronica.
Almost to echo a two-night special that the band will co-present next September 20th at Bristols‘ Strange Brew, featuring ‘two of the most significant acts in the late 80s & 90s UK dreampop / shoegaze’, namely the recently reformed oneiric ‘post-rockers’ Seefel and the eternally unsung dreampop visionaries A.R. Kane, like the former before, also the latter recently the subject of remastered reissues, if anyone is interested here is an interview of mine from awhile ago, the new single, “Oceanside Spider House”, delves into mesmerizing, arcane and gloomy early 4AD contemplative sound realms infused with swirling ethereality, to arouse a metaphysical alchemy of both sensual and spiritual ecstasy.
Soft yet penetrating vocals sway and twirl, with surreal and tense harmonious grace, on a ghostly milky way of sidereal guitar reverberations, stirred by cymbal-strewn, plodding tinny percussive patterns, and chasmal rubbery bass drones, suffering in heartache and regret.
Jabu‘s “Oceanside Spider House” backed with the woozy, clarinet dub of “Final Day ft. memotone“ is out now in digital on Bandcamp, while the limited run of 40 lathe-cut 7″dubplates are sold out at source.
The three-piece’s third full-length album is scheduled for a next Autumn release via their own Do You Have Peace? imprint.
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