Wondem

Recently throughout this whole COVID-19 process I decided to try and support a local record store, Village Green Records, that I’ve been going to for years. The owner Travis has always been an absolute delight, encouraging people to find new music and expand their horizons. The store was closed down during the pandemic, and so he moved his business over to Patreon. You can sign up and have a vinyl care package sent to your house with a certain mood associated with your package, and I opted to give it a shot.

Dexter Story’s album from 2015, Wondem, happened to be one of the albums that was given to me, and what a surprise it ended up being. Dexter Story provides the listener with a bright and bouncing afro-style of jazz, often driven by unique guitar structures and an exceptional amount of unparalleled noise. From chanting to claps on a track like Be My Habesha, from drums to and orchestration on Mowa, from dense beats and light keys on Xamar that shift into a brilliant horn section. The amount of sheer amount of fresh sounds thrown into this album give the listener a new and exciting experience at every turn, as no track seemingly sounds like the last entirely.

It goes to show you that stepping out of your comfort zone and trying a new album that not only you had ever heard but perhaps few if anyone had ever really given much of a chance can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Give this album a chance and it may just delight you, and honestly if you’re looking for a unique way to discover new music hit me up and I’ll help you start the process. And no, I wasn’t asked to give this advertisement, I just wanted to.

Favorite track: Xamar