As a working-class DJ, music reviewer and music lover in general, I try to stay up on any and everything, yet there’s always something that slips through cracks or things that I was never hipped to from the beginning. Luckily for me, I am serviced by some great labels from across the globe who keep me in the know on essential artists and releases which brings me to the topic at hand. Arriving the post this past weekend via the folks at Mr. Bongo is the latest LP, “Melodi” by Kit Sebastian which instantly blew my mind with a beautiful soundscapes and attention to details.
‘Melodi’ is the second album from captivating duo Kit Sebastian (aka Kit Martin and Merve Erdem). Those familiar with the band’s cult classic 2019 debut record ‘Mantra Moderne’ will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of Bahia to the city streets of Istanbul and Paris. This joyous merging of soundscapes evokes a borderless planet with music as an international language, belonging everywhere and nowhere.
‘Melodi’ is imbued with Kit Sebastian’s love of vintage records and world cinema, but it is not a retro homage. It celebrates its influences but is very much a modern record, being simultaneously brand new and retro. This is a credit to the duo’s craft as musicians and songwriters, presenting their influences as a circular interaction between the present and the past rather than a linear one.