South London-based jazz and neo-soul songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Monterey J pays ode to the sprawling creative underbelly of South London on sophomore album Welcome 2 South London.
Inspired by his personal experiences, the album comes to life with a spirit of collaboration featuring a cast of talented instrumentalists; Joey Robbins (drums), Tay Harvey (bass), Dan McConkey (tenor sax) as well as as guest appearances from Telica (guitar), Marika (vocals), Hillarynx (vocals) and Southsidefinn (rapper).
Rooted in layers of saxophone, bass, guitar, piano and synth all married by elegant vocals, the album flits through rich, compelling, groovy tracks in carefully crafted succession. Aiming to champion and tell the story of a thriving artistic community, the album unfurls with vibrant tapestry laden with neo-soul jazz and R&B framed by melodic yet melancholic lyrics and luscious soundscapes.
Speaking about the album, Monterey J explains, ”This project tells the story of my personal experience in the creative community of South London. After producing and recording my previous album almost exclusively on my own, I decided to experiment with the process of collaboration, treating these songs as if they were a story told by a multitude of different voices. In my experience, South London is a place of great artistic freedom with a touch of healthy competitiveness and I really wanted to share my journey through music showing both the highs and the lows of navigating through an exciting time of my life in the city.”
Having established his genre-fusing musicality with every new release, Monterey J continues to carve a lane all his own as an artist worth keeping on your radar.
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