Backtracked - Alphabets (EP)

Blissed out and uplifting ‘Alphabets’ is the new EP from electronic jazz outfit Backtracked. It's forthcoming on Manchester’s Ele Records (run by NTS Radio host Sameed), whose previous releases include Byron The Aquarius, Javonntte, Cottam.

Having worked together on a run of successful sold out shows across Europe, performing jazz rework shows of hip-hop artists such as J Dilla, Missy Elliot, OutKast, and Erykah Badu, the trio now ready six tracks of enthralling original material. Drawing inspiration from their surroundings, the process of osmosis included early morning commutes on the 104 bus route ride to their studio, or the very fabric of the city around then, the record taking on an angular and edgy quality, akin to the brutalist building which houses the studio itself.

Creating a feel-good sound that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking in the same breath, ‘Alphabets’ is packed full of breezy melodies, laid back beats meeting mind elevating progressions and ethereal atmospheres. Introspective and reflective, it channels a sense of summer nostalgia of Berlin’s relaxed, dressed down summer months. The trio explain, ‘It's like the city is slowing down, and you're at peace with it’.