One of the more exciting developments for this music fan is this new era of jazz and jazz-influenced artists/musicians putting a modern spin one of the more elite genres in music.
Thundercat of course stands out among the pack of this new wave of artists, but one talented young musician is shooting up those same charts in his own right, and that is Masego.
The 27-year-old multi-instrumentalist, born Micah Davis, calls his brand of music “TrapHouse Jazz” (also the name of his record label) and after familiarizing myself with his catalog, the moniker fits. Masego’s music is a unique combination of hard-hitting rhythms with free-flowing, jam session-based accompaniments, with something for everyone.
Masego released his third EP this past Friday entitled Studying Abroad, a six-track project that will have you looking forward to a post-pandemic world, or even reminiscing about a pre-pandemic world of sun and fun as we head into likely the most oppressively dark and cold winter of our lifetimes.
“Passport” starts the EP off with a synth bass and East Asian string-heavy track, on which Masego hopes of abandoning a boring life for a getaway to see new sights, breathe new air and meeting new people.
After a funny lead-in monologue of a lover caught up in his games, “Silver Tongue Devil” is a back and forth with Shenseea that plays out as a game of cat and mouse being played across a beach somewhere at sunset.
Next up with trap crooner Don Toliver is “Mystery Lady,” a bouncy track about a woman who stands out from all the others Masego and Don meet in their travels.
“Polygamy” is only a minute and 53 seconds long, but it’s one of those tracks you wish was longer. A quiet storm beat about with a title that is the hot topic of relationships and alternative lifestyles at the moment and it’s a perfect lead in to “Sides Of Me,” another meditation about a non-committal dating life.
The closer “Bye Felicia” has a slick sample of 112’s “Anywhere” as the backing track while Sego’s saxophone bids farewell to another conquest and brings us to the end of the vacation.
Overall, releasing a summer-sounding EP two weeks before Thanksgiving is risky, but as we’ve learned in the time of Corona, we’re all living our own special, nightmarish version of “Groundhog Day” anyway, so why not pretend we’re free of masks, not reeking of hand sanitizer and enjoying each other’s company either as friends or as lovers?
Masego can get away with it because of his instrumental talent, songwriting and charisma, all of which will serve him well as he continues to mature and make smooth soundtracks for whatever shenanigans you may or may not be getting into in the future.
Listen to Studying Abroad by Masego here.
