A lifetime of listening thanks to the day job (there is a pun in the band name if you look deep enough) means that Ed and the gang make music that feels lyrically observant, honest, and astutely authentic, soundtracks to vignettes of life going through the (e)motions: love, longing, loss, and all the rest.
Jazz-infused, folk-finessed and pop-accessible, ‘Always Be Mine,’ his debut release, soars gently over the musical landscape, soft and sophisticated, soulful and serene. And for all its driving groove, it is never anything other than warm and welcoming, not least thanks to the gorgeous vocal harmonies, sultry sax, and other sonic trappings that smooth and soften all the musical edges.
Imagine if Sade had gone a more rock-leaning route in her neo-soul revival, or if James Blake played things straighter and took the more traditionally singer-songwriter route. Obviously, it isn’t quite as simple as that, and there is nothing here that doesn’t sound like Ed Sykes, establishing his own signature sound, but such references at least give you a ballpark.
Late-night vibes meet mainstream accessibility meets cool and sometimes slightly nostalgic instrumentation to create a song that is all about the here-and-now, the head and the heart. That’s how you do it.
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