Emma-Jean Thackray - Yellow
Critic Score
Based on 14 reviews
2021 Ratings: #64 / 753
User Score
Based on 157 ratings
2021 Rank: #387
Liked by 15 people
July 23, 2021 / Release Date
LP / Format
Movementt, Warp / Label
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
The Skinny

Yellow brims with kindness and connection through its musical messages, reminding us refreshingly of what it is to be a human among humans.

100
The Arts Desk

For all the preposterousness, and preposterous ambition, there’s an authenticity that comes from someone reflecting themselves with total conviction, that makes it hard not to love.

90
Uncut

Some of the best moments here are her twitchy funk miniatures, driven by tuba basslines, distorted Fender Rhodes riffs and chant-based vocals, which leave you wanting more.

90
Gigwise

Yellow is a triumph of Thackray’s singular vision. A positive, consistent, joyously listenable and danceable album, which somehow pulls off being both instantly memorable and continually surprising.

80
AllMusic
The end result is vast and ambitious yet deliberately welcoming. Its many sounds and rhythms greet listeners wherever they are and compel them to invest in an altogether wondrous sonic journey for body, mind, and soul.
80
NME
‘Yellow’ is exactly the life-affirming collection to help those in need to hang onto the idea of a dim light at the end of a very, very dark tunnel.
80
Exclaim!
Despite the abundance of compositional ideas, they are all executed with attention to clarity, cohesion and detail. Thackray's auteurist approach in the studio combined with her peerless precision and control feel like a whole new genre unto itself.
80
Clash
Self-consciously designed to echo a transformative lysergic experience, ‘Yellow’ comes to embody everything Emma-Jean Thackray strives towards, and describes: you emerge in a quite different space than the one you entered in, the world around you subtly transfigured.
80
Mojo

Thackray crams a lot into the 14 tracks of her cerebral yet deeply groovy debut.

79
Beats Per Minute

As was intended, Yellow is an album of elemental joys and unity. It’s taking what is inherently a complex form of music – and is still highly technical in the hands of these players – and makes it into something for all to enjoy

77
Pitchfork
The debut from the English bandleader and producer is a fascinating blend of spiritual jazz and brass band that can sound full-on psychedelic while staying grounded in its clever arrangements.
70
DIY
Festooned with planetary hymns and gushes of free-love sentiment, the LP achieves the kind of celestial ecstasy it so avidly craves.
70
The Line of Best Fit

With Yellow, Thackray solidifies her place in the vanguard of London acts bringing younger audiences to jazz.

70
Loud and Quiet

Yellow has the hallmarks of a record you might happen upon after hours of thumbing through miscellaneous LPs at a flea market, whose tonal poise and propensity for experimentation are too invigorating and interesting to keep to yourself.

NTTR
62

Emma-Jean Thackray - Yellow

Genre: Jazz Fusion
Country: UK

Final Verdict: 62% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 320th / 804

Highlight: Third Eye

Made me think of:
Sons of Kemet
Jeff Parker
Nubya Garcia

FatalNoise
65

A really interesting blend of jazz, soul and electronics that i will definitely be returning to

SonicDiscovery
82

For many years now, the U.K. has brought a nice breath of fresh air into current jazz scenes and that continues to be true with the debut album Yellow from bandleader Emma-Jean Thackray. Throughout this tight set of tracks, you here her and her band bring together not only jazz, but funk, soul and psychedelia. This blending of sounds go well with the lyrical themes of the songs focusing on bringing people together and reminding us we are all united and created equally in the same way. I really ... read more

frenchiedog
78

The UK is proving to be an absolute hotspot for bold new sounds in contemporary jazz with the likes of Comet Is Coming, Sons Of Kemet, Nubya Garcia, Soweto Kinch and countless others changing the landscape of the genre today. Step up Leeds born bandleader, producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray with their self-released smash debut full length Yellow. Thackray brings so much spirituality and soulful vibes to the fore here with a multi-faceted record that leans as much into ... read more

Louis13
75

Emma-Jean Thackray's debut album is one of the most refreshing jazz albums of the year - an excellent blend of spiritual jazz (see opener 'Mercury'), jazz-funk (see 'Venus' and 'Green Funk') and dance beats (see lead single 'Say Something'). The vocal delivery is infectious and full of energy (see 'Third Eye' and 'Sun'). Excited to see what she does next.

Favourite Tracks: Mercury, Say Something*, Venus, Third Eye, Sun, Spectre, Our People

Raiksheen
70

Valid

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Track List

1Mercury
5:44
2Say Something
3:49
3About That
2:15
4Venus
6:34
5Green Funk
2:01
6Third Eye
2:49
7May There Be Peace
1:24
8Sun
3:06
9Golden Green
4:04
10Spectre
4:27
11Rahu & Ketu
4:13
12Yellow
2:02
13Our People
4:46
14Mercury (In Retrograde)
1:57
Total Length: 49 minutes
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Added on: June 2, 2021