I love the fact that we're riding the Chicago wave, and following up my review of Silas Short's LUSHLAND, it's time to spotlight one of the collaborators on that record - another Chicago native, Luke Titus.
In April of this year, the drummer/producer returned with From What Was Will Grow A Flower, a record that reimagines jazz through his own deeply human lens. It's a project where emotion sits beneath every rhythm - experimental at its edges, intimate at its core, and blooming with the kind of nuance only an artist like Luke can pull off.
On the album itself, Luke elaborates, "This album is about spirituality and connectivity, both with the universe and the self, as told through my personal journey. It questions reality as a way to deepen one’s connection to it. I dedicate this album not only to anyone who has been through hard times, but to anyone who relates to the cyclical nature of the human experience. And more than that, I dedicate this album to my mom."
Across the eleven tracks, Titus moves effortlessly between jazz, alt-r&b, indie soul, and futuristic beat music, with his drumming being the connective tissue between all these worlds. There's an impressive amount of detail packed into the arrangements, but the album never feels like a technical exercise. As a matter of fact, beneath the virtuosic passages and meticulous production is a deeply personal record about growth, loss, spirituality, and finding connection in the middle of it all.
My favourite joint on the record is "Lotus Leaf", featuring the amazing Nicole McCabe. A prime example of his exceptional drum skills. They're fast and flowing with momentum as opposed to the calming arrangement of the keys and the delicate synth works. This is coupled with a brass section that offers a soulful allure with its presence, especially when underpinned by the bass line.
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From What Was Will Grow A Flower is a bold new step in Titus' music journey, and besides showcasing his jazz drumming roots, we get to enjoy his vocal abilities, paired with a very forward-thinking and open approach to production that feels inspired by the psychedelic energy of artists like Toro y Moi and Tame Impala.
