Each week we feature a different Scottish artist on the blog including premieres and Q&A’s. Please check out some of the amazing Scottish talent we have discovered over the years.
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Q&A - Azamiah
FFO: Hiatus Kaiyote, Tenderlonious, Nala Sinephro
Following the release last year of Rebecca Vasmant’s acclaimed album With Love, From Glasgow (nominated for Scottish Album Of The Year 2022), Vasmant’s Rebecca’s Records label have announced their latest release, the debut album from spiritual jazz outfit ‘Azamiah’ led by India Blue.
Azamiah have emerged from Glasgow’s bubbling jazz scene, and their debut album, the beautifully transportive and soulful ‘In Phases’, released on 16th June via 12” and digital with the lead single ‘Night Woman’.
Centered around India Blue’s expressive and ethereal lead vocals, the twelve track LP takes the listener on an immersive journey that draws inspiration from the sounds of the natural world and the urban rhythm of the city.
‘Night Woman’ - which has already received early support from Gilles Peterson - encapsulates the gorgeous sonic worlds that are the essence of Azamiah’s debut, as grooving bass, gentle, breezy brass and sublime percussive embellishments forming a truly dazzling aural experience.
Headed by respected Glasgow-based producer, composer and DJ Rebecca Vasmant, Rebecca’s Records is a family run imprint that aims to platform and support female-led jazz, as well as shining a spotlight on Scottish jazz. The label represents the wonderfully diverse and rich music scene that makes Glasgow so very special.
Speaking about Amaziah’s album In Phases, Rebecca Vasmant said: “When I first heard the beautiful and mesmerizing music from Azamiah, I was absolutely blown away, and I am so very happy that we are able to present such a beautiful album. It was recorded and written in Glasgow, continuing our ethos of promoting and supporting Scottish jazz. This record gives me the chills, and I really love the music so very much.
“We hope to release beautiful and special records that make us feel like we've been transported into a cloud of happiness and peace, and hopefully will make listeners feel the same. We aim to send the message of the spirit of Glasgow -collaboration, love and acceptance - in that everyone is welcome in our beautiful city that we call home.”
Check out our Q&A with Azamiah below and make sure tolisten to their brand new debut album here.
Your debut album is out on Rebecca's Records and has already had great support from the likes of Clash Magazine, The Skinny and Gilles Peterson. Tell us more about the creative processes & collaborations involved in the album?
I formed Azamiah back in 2021 with a vision to bring musicians together to form a collective whereby I could flesh out compositions I’d been working on both as a solo artist and collaboratively with Azamiah’s keys player Josef Akin. We worked remotely on ‘Heroine’ allowing it to transition through a number of phases until it became the song it is now on the album. I shared the skeleton of tracks like ‘Heroine’, ‘Night Woman’ and ‘Conversations’ with the rest of the band, and allowed the songs to become their own thing, with everyone brushing their own colours onto each ‘canvas’.
As well as bringing our own collaborative and individual compositions to the band, I discovered very early on that as a band, we gelled really well together which sparked a unique musical chemistry allowing us to create songs like ‘Bedroom’, ‘Celesta’ and ‘Half-man’. We would meet regularly to rehearse, and either start or end our rehearsals with jam sessions which I feel definitely allowed us all to connect as a group in a deep and special way. After we had the arrangements for the tunes down - and once they were recorded - I took all the stems home and spent weeks recording and arranging the vocal parts, layering, harmonising and responding to my own parts which I felt took the sound of the album to a realm that exists somewhere between a live and produced sound. For me, that’s what the songs were calling for – vocals that were rich, dynamic and percussive.
Who are your biggest influences?
During the production of this album, I listened to a lot of music by ‘Hiatus Kiayote’, ‘Solange’, ‘SAULT’ and ‘Makaya McCraven’. In the wider context of the band, ‘Frank Zappa’, ‘Nala Sinephro’, and ‘MNDSGN’ are some of the band's influences.
You all have lots of different artist projects going on. Tell us more about how the band members came together to form Azamiah?
We came together towards the end of lockdown when we all had more time to invest ourselves into a new project. I had a vision to start a new band which would be led by my vocals - this idea was encouraged by Josef Akin so I got a rhythm section together and experimented with other harmonic instruments which is when I met our harpist, Romy Wymer. It felt like a very organic connection between us all so we started our journey together; jamming, building new ideas and playing through compositions I’d written independently and collaboratively.
What has been your favourite venue to perform in?
It would be between Kinning Park complex for a Sofar sound show or The Rum Shack for a Laylow show. The audience were seated on the floor for both the above performances, there were candles lit all over the place, and diffusers with essential oils - the vibe and setting were perfectly matched with Azamiah.
Lineup: India Blue (vocals) / Josef Akin (keys) / Norman Villeroux (bass / ocarina) / Alex Palmer (drums) / Romy Wymer (harp)
Featuring: Finn Rosenbaum (percussion) / Liam Shortall (trombone) / Mateusz Sobieski: (saxophone)
Recorded at Dystopia Studios Glasgow
Mastering: Athens Of The North HQ, Edinburgh
Artwork: Claire Francis
Design: Andrew Divine
Connect with Azamiah: Instagram
Q&A - Tzusan & Shogun
“Lead Wetsuit Schematics” heralds the first in a series of collaborative projects from platinum selling Scottish rapper Shogun (as seen on BBCThree’s The Rap Game) and his contemporary MC/Producer Tzusan, who’s 2022 solo release WSPSNSYRP and subsequent UK tour earned international praise and a SAMA nomination for best hip-hop. The project takes the form of raw, rugged, and unapologetic barring set to a backdrop of dusty sample chops and bone-rattling drums bearing Tzusan’s signature watermark. Spread across 9 tracks ranging from the self-reflective to the scathing and downright obnoxious these are two artists playing off of each other’s styles to create something dripping in ironic post-modernism and futile rebellion. Boasting guest features from some serious titans of the genre including Roll Deep royalty Manga Saint Hilare and MF Doom collaborator Sonnyjim to name a few, the EP is sure to set a new benchmark beyond Scottish rap. Alongside the release will be a series of singles, videos and visualisers made in collaboration with a plethora of talent across the country and an episodic podcast in development to be released via Patreon featuring exclusive content, comedy skits, conversations and special guest appearances.
Now available on Limited Edition 12’’ Vinyl and Collector’s Edition Cassette Bundle via Bandcamp and with a UK tour currently under development for 2023, make sure to check out this new collaboration.
We caught up with Tzusan & Shogun this week, read the Q&A’s below and make sure to check out their brand new 9 track release.
Q&A with Tzusan:
Your new LP 'Lead Wesuit Schematics' has just dropped. Can you tell us more about this?
It's our first collaborative project so it's us kinda finding our feet as a unit, where our different styles meet and exploring that no-mans land a bit. It's defo different from our individual stuff so I think it's got some unique character.
Who would be your dream collaboration ?
Jim E Brown.
What's the best advice you've ever received about pursuing a career in music?
Don't listen to all the advice people try and give you.
Tell us 3 things from your bucket list?
Learn how to shapeshift into a pigeon. Resurrect cilla black. Collaborate with Jim E Brown.
Q&A with Shogun
Can you tell us more about your creative process & how you get in the zone when songwriting?
I consume copious volumes of exotic marijuana flavours and then I pay my ghostwriter to do it for me.
Who influnced you to become an artist ?
Myself.
How has growing up in Scotland impacted your career?
Negatively.
Can you share any advice for staying on top of your mental health as an artist?
Know when to speak your mind and don't always listen to instinct. Seek advice.
What do you hope people take away from your music ?
ummm... like, a vinyl, cassette mibbe a T-shirt
Listen to Tzsusan & Shogun’s collaboration here