EMMA-JEAN THACKRAY - Weirdo

Sometimes it's necessary to take a step back, and that's exactly what Emma-Jean Thackray does on her new album "Weirdo", opting for a more intimate creative profile and an almost lo-fi approach that brings out the distinctiveness of her writing and arrangements.

The debut by the English musician and composer, "Yellow", had revealed an undeniably exceptional talent to the public while also softening its spiritual, aching nature, leaving a sense of something unresolved. Made entirely on her own, "Weirdo" is an even more anguished record than its predecessor, a courageous attempt by the English artist to reclaim her own identity after the sudden death of her partner Matthew Gordon.

It wasn't easy for Emma to get back to playing and composing after a long period of mental emptiness (the musician is autistic and has ADHD), spent staring at the walls of her house and returning to Eastern philosophy. Music offered her a way out, perceptible especially in the gospel-funk of "Save Me", one of the album's most direct and anguished tracks, but also one of its most vibrant. Nu-jazz, soul, funk, psychedelia, electronics and gospel are the main coordinates of a relentless spiritual groove that justifies the various comparisons cited by critics – Stevie Wonder, Alice Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Kamasi Washington.

A full nineteen tracks for a journey into acid-funk-soul, spanning raw, scorching moments (the gorgeous, visceral "Black Hole" featuring Reggie Watts), synth-soul dystonias where lyrics and music are in perpetual conflict ("What Is The Point"), and moments of lightness that evoke the 1970s ("Tofu").

The drive to break down barriers and stylistic conventions is much more evident on "Weirdo": Emma-Jean Thackray's omnivorous talent graces inventive pop detours ("Wanna Die"), injects swing and verve into the sweeping, elegant groove of "Thank You For The Day", and reins in purely technical showmanship by giving up a more prominent role for the trumpet, her main instrument, in favor of a choral sound rich in fine harmonic detail, as in the hushed "Stay" and the more typically jazz-inflected "Let Me Sleep".

The funk-psych spirituality of "Remedy" (with an interesting keyboard interlude) and the more adventurous jazz-groove of "It's Okay" (featuring Kassa Overall) round out a finally comprehensive picture of Emma-Jean Thackray's qualities: "Weirdo" is not just the English artist's album of emotional rebirth after a period of suffering and uncertainty, but also one of the most stimulating entries in British nu-jazz.

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01/06/2025