Tag Archives: Raven Bush

Ben Howard: Is It?

On June 16, 2023, “Island” label released “Is It?”, the fifth Ben Howard studio album. It was recorded 2022 – 2023, at “Le Manoir de Léon in Léon” in Landes, France, “Real World Studios” in Box, Wiltshire, England, and was produced by Nathan Jenkins.

Personnel:

  • Ben Howard – vocals, guitar, electric guitar, aerophones, electro-acoustic realization
  • Nathan Jenkins – synthesizer, programming, backing vocals, drum programming, mixing
  • Mickey Smith – guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, baritone, tape realization, backing vocals
  • Nat Wason – guitar, lap steel guitar
  • Richard Thomas – piano, synthesizer, harmonium, backing vocals
  • James Arben – saxophone, bass clarinet, oboe
  • Raven Bush – strings
  • Michael McGoldrick – uilleann pipes, flute
  • Stuart Hawkes – mastering
  • Bráulio Amado – artwork
  • Allan Wilson – photography
  • Roddy Bow – photography

Track listing:

  1. Couldn’t Make It Up – Ben Howard, Mickey Smith
  2. Walking Backwards – Ben Howard, Nathan Jenkins, Mickey Smith
  3. Days of Lantana – Ben Howard, Mickey Smith – contains a sample of “Trois Beaux Oiseaux De Paradis”, written by Maurice Ravel and performed by Linda Thompson
  4. Life in the Time – Ben Howard, Mike Smith
  5. Moonraker – Ben Howard, Nathan Jenkins, Mike Smith
  6. Richmond Avenue – Ben Howard, Michael McGoldrick, Mike Smith
  7. Interim of Sense – Ben Howard, Nathan Jenkins, Mike Smith
  8. Total Eclipse – Ben Howard, Mike Smith
  9. Spirit – Ben Howard, Nathan Jenkins, Mike Smith
  10. Little Planet – Ben Howard, Nathan Jenkins, Mike Smith

Young Fathers: Heavy, Heavy

On February 3, 2023, “Ninja Tune” label released “Heavy Heavy”, the fourth Young Fathers studio album. It was recorded in 2022, at “Out of the Blue” in Leith, Scotland, “Narcissus Studio” in London, “Northwind” in Durban, South Africa, and was produced by Graham “G” Hastings At the 2023 “Mercury Prize”, the album won the “Scottish Album of the Year Award”.

Personnel:

  • Alloysious Massaquoi – vocals, toms, percussion
  • Graham “G” Hastings – vocals, percussion, piano, organ, Vox Continental, Transcendent, Jasper, Korg Minipops, Boss PC-2, Mellotron, Syntrx, ER-1 drum machine
  • Kayus Bankole – vocals, percussion
  • Liam Hutton – drums, percussion, talking drum, timpani, bin with chains
  • Iain Berryman – guitar, bazouki, piano, percussion
  • Richard Adlam – drums, programming
  • Hal Ritson – keyboards, programming
  • Raven Bush – strings
  • Tapiwa Mambo – vocals
  • Toyiz Mchunu – vocals
  • Nomasonto Mthembu – vocals
  • Anele Mthembu – vocals
  • Nonhlanhla Mhlongo – vocals
  • Graham “G” Hastings – engineer
  • Iain Berryman – engineer, mixing, additional production
  • Drew Dungate-Smith – additional engineering
  • Kristian Donaldson – additional engineering
  • Niklas Fairclough – additional engineering
  • Andrea Cozzaglio – engineer assistant
  • Sophie Ellis – engineer assistant
  • Ben Baptie – mixing
  • Matt Colton – mastering
  • Hingston Studio – design, art direction

Track listing:

All tracks by Kayus Bankole, Graham “G” Hastings and Alloysious Massaquoi, except where noted.

  1. Rice
  2. I Saw
  3. Drum
  4. Tell Somebody
  5. Geronimo
  6. Shoot Me Down
  7. Ululation – Kayus Bankole, Graham “G” Hastings, Alloysious Massaquoi, Tapiwa Mambo
  8. Sink or Swim
  9. Holy Moly
  10. Be Your Lady