Genre-traversing London musician Alfa Mist opens Variables, his fifth album, with "Foreward," a rousing tune that sounds influenced by progressive big band, hard bop, and fusion all at once. The attention-grabbing horn figures at the front are followed with blazing solos backed by cool keyboards and complex, constantly mutating beats, finally leading back to a return of the opening horn section. From there, the album continues seamlessly melding several styles, though like the artists last few releases, it seems more centered around jazz than more R&B-leaning early efforts such as Nocturne. "Borderline" features a calmly stated rap about constantly being judged by ones skin color and dealing with "everyday trauma, normalized," while the gentle boom-bap rhythm keeps the mood on the bright side. Longtime collaborator Kaya Thomas-Dyke is featured on "Aged Eyes," a sweet, string-kissed R&B song with bright acoustic guitars and shuffling, Brazilian-inspired rhythms. "The Gist" is soothing head-nod jazz with illuminating solos, particularly the dusty keyboards and scorching, skybound horns. The bittersweet Afro-pop of "Genda (Go Away)" is an example of the upbeat yet slightly melancholy feeling prevalent throughout the album, and it leads into "Apho," a beautiful, uplifting song showcasing the falsetto vocals of South African singer Bongeziwe Mabandla. "4th Web (Stay Awake)" returns to the late-night jazz-rap vibes, touching on dark thoughts yet featuring a group of friends laughing in the background, seeming to emphasize the importance of keeping good humor in order to make it through hard times. Finally, the Mahavishnu-esque "BC" is a magnificent fusion exploration that layers atmospheric guitars and spacy trumpet over rapid yet perfectly controlled drumming. The arrangements and musicianship are consistently top-notch throughout, and the mood maintains a balance between reflection and optimism, making for one of Alfa Mists most accomplished and enjoyable works to date. ~ Paul Simpson

Rovi