Hard Rain

Hard Rain follows hot-on-the-heels from the acclaimed Ruby Rushton album Ironside, but whereas contemporary urban jazz was the focus there, Tender's solo record marks a return to another of the multifaceted artist's skills: dope house and beat music that oozes futuristic funk.

This sparse but perfectly-populated masterpiece takes inspiration from J Dilla and echoes elements of vintage Blaze, Larry Heard, and Carl Craig. Warm and soulful, but also spacious and clean, Tender extracts maximum flavor out of just a few ingredients.

Casey Jr. kicks proceedings off with a neck-snapping bass heavy p-funk monster, like "Slum Village" or "Platinum Pied Pipers" by way of Surrey and onwards to south London. Real electro-laced cosmic jazz funk keys and techno hi-hats coalesce exquisitely on Buffalo Gurl, whilst the breathtakingly deep Hard Rain sounds both current and classic.

Low Tide is an ambient jazz interlude that clears the palate, before Another State Of Consciousness trips the light on a kaleidoscopic disco ball of pure synth ecstasy. Bumpy and blunted, the break-fueled flute ride of Aesop Thought and LA style abstract science of Workin' Me Out shine a new light on trip-hop, before the album closes with the smoldering, emotive brooder Almost Time.

After a long studio hiatus, this is a sign of good things to come from Tenderlonious and the 22a camp!