Sonlife’s self-titled debut LP is a sort of seamless trip. The eight tracks are all held together by some shared sophisticated sound design. A muted, minor key music manufactured from field recordings, woodland rustling, washes of surf, and sampled snippets of both Sonlife’s previous band, Haraket, and live playing provided by a small circle of friends. The sliced and diced, downtempo syncopation working in synergy with Emma Barnaby’s orchestration, Ed Bernez’s percussion, and Sam Leach’s cool, considered keys. Abi Hardiman’s vocals are also present throughout the album. Sometimes treated, drifting, like a disembodied diva. At others, such as the former single, Piecebypiece, she’s at the fore, leading the blues-y, melancholy song, as it rattles away on a snatch of manhandled military snare. Cosmik also rides a similarly funky, deconstructed breakbeat. Lovers / Grain is subjected to world-warping subs. The conga’d Blue Whale’s Theme is hit by atmospheric waves of what might be guitar. Several of the pieces feature a smoky saxophone honk. On the harmonic hush of The Quiet there’s a short vibes run. The spare, sparse piano notes and scraped cello strings of the somber Still, and its infinite yet intimate echo, wouldn’t be out of place on Grouper’s Ruins, while the opening Beginner’s Theme is a definite highlight. Like a hip hop take on Dorothy Ashby’s Afro-Harping, conjuring classic, moody Mo Wax sides, such as the Organized Konfusion remix of Attica Blues’ Tender, it’s laidback, hammock-rocking, head-nodding, beatific boom bap. Lush loops to get lost in, for sure. 

Sonlife is out now on DSPPR.