111

This warms my heart for a number of reasons.

First, the way jazz & soul intertwine here is just marvelous. Second, I've been a fan of the Dutch jazz scene for quite some time. And third, and foremost, the beautiful vocals come from a Bulgarian artist.

Welcoming Netherlands-based NIA who released her debut EP in mid-April. Freefall contains 4 songs with her delicate, yet powerful vocals & heart-warming cello, alongside the mind-blowing production & jazz compositions, courtesy of Andon de Bruin, one of the people behind our dear Dragonfruit, and a stellar set of musicians alongside him.

NIA explains about the EP, "After graduating, I faced a tough period, seeking both my personal and professional paths. The steady grooves combined with the warm sound of the strings create different soundscapes and illustrate the raw ups and downs of diving into a self-searching path. In the past year I wrote this music, creating my own personal sacred place, that’s now ready to be seen. Making this music gave me so much more than I intended and if I can make people ‘feel’ while listening to it, I’d be immensely happy."

I really wanted to feature "111" because it's 6 minutes of pure bliss - with all its intricacies in NIA's performance & Anton's instrumental. And the way it evolves is simply breathtaking. Plus, I'd really like to reintroduce the longer-than-3-minute music to the listeners - because sometimes it's needed. But make sure to check the full thing.