Jake Isaac - Benjamin (Nettwerk Music) 
Release Date: Out Now
I have loved the emergence of Jake Isaac's new music in 2024 with his new album 'Benjamin' being the culmination of that year of work. If you haven't been paying attention so far then now is the time to get on board with one of the best solo artists in the UK right now. Opener 'Selah' eases you in with the distant sound of children playing blended with the gentle melodies of a lazy Sunday afternoon. Then we get into the album proper with 'Fools For Love' showcasing Isaac's effortlessly soulful and lovelorn vocal floating dreamily above the laid-back melodies and shuffling beats. 'Black Or White' has more of a funk vibe but still with a soulful and loose energy while 'Okay' is almost a Coldplay-esque piano ballad with plenty of self-reflection and honest introspection.
The pace picks up on 'All I Need' with a groove that reminds me of Finley Quaye in his prime and I could listen to that combination of acoustic licks and warm vocal all day long. The interlude of 'Miss Wilhelmina' acts as a palate cleanser before the bombast of 'Good Man' strides out in a fine suit to become the king of the night among the neon signs and names up in lights. The chilled strum of '23' slowly emerges into an almost cinematic sound before 'Ever Yours' gives us a modern and gorgeous take on the Motown sound. There is another soundscape on 'Sunday Morning (Interlude)' with a gospel choir wafting in on a warm breeze before the album closes out on 'Why', the perfect parting example of Isaac's gorgeous and, frankly, luxurious vocal. This is the kind of album that you want to swim around in for a while but, crucially, leaves you wanting more and that is the sign of an artist who knows what they're doing.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/iamjakeisaac
Live Dates:
2nd November - The Village Underground, London