Sitting here on a rainy Sunday night looking at a stack of newly released vinyl and promos that arrived in the post that I had not had time to listen to yet with all of my travel schedules and tour dates. So I closed my eyes and picked out the first record that my hands touched and it so happened to be the perfect pairing for the evening with the new release by Misha Panfilov. “In Focus” is the title and after the first needle drop, it really really put my night time listening into full perspective on just how much of an amazing talent Misha is and why he is one of today’s modern greats. As a longtime fan of Misha Panfilov, this album was everything that I would expect and love about him and they way he writes and produces which makes this yet another crate essential pickup.
Estonia native Misha Panfilov has been making waves in the vibrant rare groove scene, solidifying his presence with a string of personalized albums. Renowned for his crafted and funk-infused singles on the FNR label out of Detroit, it was albums like the laid-back “Days As Echoes” and the jazz-inflected “Momentum” that firmly placed him on the map, leading to coveted gigs in Hamburg and Stockholm.
Recognizing his burgeoning talent, Jazzaggression approached Misha to collaborate on an album before the opportunity slipped away. The decision was clear: a library album for the esteemed ‘New Library Series,’ a realm Misha is intimately familiar with, having drawn inspiration from his fellow library music composers for years.
The latest offering from Misha Panfilov, unveils a collection of 14 entrancing tracks that beautifully highlight his mastery with his distinct melodic finesse. This array of tracks traverses a broad spectrum of rhythmic diversity, spanning from infectious head-nodding beats to thoughtfully minimalistic themes, often with vintage instrumentation in collaboration with his fellow musicians. The outcome is a retrospective package that skilfully captures the true essence of “In Focus.”