ALBUM REVIEW: MAX SWAN “SLOW JAIL”
Photo credit: Mike Ryan
In a smooth, heavenly choir, Slow Jail unveils its mystery in a luscious jazz soundscape with a hint of soul and R&B that drops right into a punchy, edgy electronic hip-hop landscape with brutally honest, cathartic storytelling. Slow Jail is characteristic for its vast influences and capacity to host Max Swan’s unique, multi-dimensional visions.
Fusing the night-life ambiance with captivating hip-hop storytelling, the rich R&B, and soul complete in the rhythms and vocal style, while the urban jazz influence gives the album a touch of wildness and freedom where pure emotional expression flies high and concentrated in the sky. As a classically-trained jazz saxophonist, a vocalist, and a hip-hop producer, Max Swan creates a smooth, lush texture that communicates the spirit of each genre with a touch of his own avant-garde ambition.
From “Sheesh” to “Filler” to “Woohoo” to “Change Your Mind,” Swan introduces a variety of distinct color palettes that remain exclusive to his creation while staying inspired and authentic to each sound. He channels a world between lucid and surreal with “Sheesh” where the pulsing funky bassline and ethereal vocal lure you into its strange, ever-changing world.
“Filler” has a dark distorted piano that comes in waves and interacts with the idea of waterdrops, which was very fascinating. “Legend” lays on the experimental side that challenges your sense with dynamic contrasts, where “Woohoo” features a smooth, evocative vocal that feels like the wind, and “Slow Jail” revisits a golden sound that concludes the album in celestial choir and whistle that blossom in the dark with a vintage glare.
Written by Katrina Yang
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