The piece is written and produced by two influential jazz and hip hop musicians, Yussef Dayes and Alfa Mist. Yussef Dayes is a drummer and Alfa Mist is a pianist and a producer. The piece also featured Mansur Brown on electric guitar and Rocco Palladino on electric bass, who already work with Yussef Dayes.
The performance is recorded live in Abbey Road studios. Recorded by Toby Hulbert, mixed by Rory Cashmere and mastered by Alex Gordon. The performance is filmed by Joseph Dunn and Jake Whitehouse.
Piece opens with an evolving synth pad. Drummer introduces himself with a metallic percussion instrument which fuses nicely with the synth layer. With this instrument, the drummer creates a nice panoramic effect by taking advantage of the overhead microphones of the drum set.
While the synth pad continues, drum rolls on a congo and snare signalling the rhythmic section. With the rhythm started, fast snare attacks in the groove are already impressive. Drummer breaks the beat for signalling a new section.
Drum, bass and Rhodes piano started together in this section, later introducing the electric guitar with quiet dynamics. Reverb and delay is mainly used with the low driven electric guitar and together with the lush sound of the Rhodes piano in the harmonic layer, it creates a dreamy texture. Rhythmic foundation is very tight and sound with the drum and bass.
Development kind of section established between 3:20 - 4:20. First getting calmer and quieter for transition, later followed by a crescendo where the piece leads to a climax section between 4:20-5:50. Guitar's tone is getting brighter and more screamy with more driven sound and forte dynamics. Surface rhythm increased by the drum and guitar, accompanied with tense harmonic progressions.
At 5:50 a drum attack signals for change and the piece is followed by a softer and calmer section with mellow sound of Rhodes. As the rhythm goes more spacey and loose, the opening synth pad returns around 6:20. Around this time the piece has a soft ending feeling.
Yet at 6:50, rhythmic foundation returns step by step with drum variations and syncopations and bass groove. For one and a half minutes they build back. Starting at 8:50, tension is created by a harmonic progression and a drum fill to reach another climax for the piece. Modulation in the sound of guitar is again used in this section, yet instead of high surface rhythm in guitar part, slowed and sustained notes are used to lead to the ending of the piece.
In general, I like the piece and the performance as a whole. Performance of Yussef Dayes with the drums are quite outstanding and could be seen as a good example of 'in the pocket' playing, where the bass guitar also does his part beautifully to fill the groove.
The dreamy texture created with the fuse of Rhodes piano and electric guitar sound was also appealing. Usage of dynamic and timbral modulations in the structure of the piece was quite notable.
