This next album (or should I say compilation) spotlight feels special. Beat's Tailors' sonic journey titled Jazzprint reminded me of some of the most carefree times of my life. The 2015-16 Stereofox era, where all responsibilities were tuned down to a minimum, and I spent countless hours just vibing to some of the greatest beat compilations to this day.
I don't know if it's me, but I rarely get to explore and stumble upon cohesive projects that bring together beatmakers from around the world. The scene changes, and so did I. That being said, Jazzprint is exactly what you would expect from a world-class instrumental curation.
Before we dive into the sound, let's talk about the people responsible for this beauty - Italian label Beat's Tailors (Instagram). I've had my eyes on them for a while, and we've always tried to spotlight their impeccable selection of that golden era chillhop sound. The team has established a hub for refined sound and musical depth, blending beat culture with jazz and soul roots, so finding out about their new collaboration, I already knew I would fall in love with it.
Major props, of course, go to all instrumentalists who took part in Jazzprint, a lot of familiar names which I've grown to love over the years, and even a few artists we had the pleasure of releasing with on our own label.
The 20-track compilation features producers from all around the world, including names like Eu93ne, B-Side, Half Blue, hotpotatoes, Dualizm, Koralle, and Nuncc, to name a few. The list is long, and you absolutely need to explore it in depth, especially if you fancy an afternoon filled with joy and hazy chill energy.
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I have to say, it's a pure rarity to get such a big compilation and yet each track to be able to solidly stand on its own, but these guys did it! The project flows with a cohesive mood - warm textures, laid-back grooves, and jazz-leaning elements glide and pour from one another with such grace! Jazzprint kicks off with 3 strongholds of jazzhop - B-Side's "Always On My Mind", Nuncc's "Streetlights" and Yawuh/Faer's "Movie" before transitioning into a darker alley of instrumental hip hop with Koralle's "Silent Nuit" and Angry Apple's "Eight". A few tracks in, and it was pretty evident - flow is not created randomly, but the label had put a lot of thought into designing a maze that champions different facets of the jazz hip hop genre.
For those looking for dusty, more groove-driven beats, Jazzprint's midpart will be a safe haven. I fell in love with the retro feel of tides.'s "Suna" and Dualizm's "Lyre, Lyre".
If you know me (or have read my reviews), you’ll know I rarely skip through albums or compilations. Still, a quick glance at the tracklist had me expecting a jazz-heavy finale, especially with those closing names I know well. Kristoffer Eikrem, JazzyHan and Gabb delivered exactly that - closing things on a high note and sealing the deal.
One thing's certain. This crew proves the genre is very much alive, with plenty more to offer if you know where to look.
Also, the compilation is available on vinyl, which is great - in case you're looking for a way to build that real-world connection and get that experience which you can't replicate with streaming - just sit down, chill, watch the ceiling, and vibe to 20 dope beats.
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