Amana Melome’ describes Recalibration as an awakening, using the analogy of the humble caterpillar turning into the majestic butterfly, an album that captures an artist similarly blossoming and growing into her full potential. Hence, the album title is an allusion to resetting boundaries and striking out on a new path, with new understanding and a sense of liberation.
It is also an album that speaks of such vibrancy and blooming, not just through the words spoken and the images portrayed, but also through the music itself – soundscapes that move from the ambient to the energetic, the intimate to the celebratory, always joyous, always heart-warming.
After a scene-setting intro, “Con C.Alma” allows us to step lightly into her world, an understated slice of piano-led Latin jazz that blends South American dance floors with a touch of 60’s nostalgia, a perfect introduction into her serene and seductive world.
The title track is both introspective and connective, gentle horns add drive and direction and as much as this piece of neo-soul feels personal, it is also an anthem for those on a similar journey, or at least a reminder that we are all in this together, that as one person finds the key to change, that also, to some degree, changes the whole.
“Tomorrow Is On Its Way” sees Melome’ wander into big band territory, a blend of sass and swing, and a reminder that no matter how hard life becomes, tomorrow is a chance to start afresh. “So Done” is a funk-soul release of energy, the point at which that metaphorical caterpillar leaves its former self behind and becomes something new, special, bigger, better.
Finally, “Meet Me In My Dreams” ends on a deft, delicate note, a gorgeous ballad based around the ukulele and an invitation to meet on the other side of the wall separating the physical world from the intangible dreamland.
What a great album, a lovely collection of sounds that wander the part of the musical map where soul and pop and jazz and funk all mix and merge. But more than just great songs, it has a concept at its heart, one that marks a journey of self-improvement, an embrace of a bigger picture, a path to personal enlightenment. And who couldn’t benefit from some of that in this dark and difficult age?
