ADVERTISE
CONTACT US
SUBMISSIONS
  • News
    mixed couple

    Isah adds a new dimension to Emilie Nicolas’s killer single

    Paulina Creola

    Paulina Creola keeps love alive / We’ll Live on Forever

    Band video still

    OWMI release new visual concept of R&B single / Slipping (In A Chapel)

    Woman surrounded by candles

    AMAYA finds comfort and peace in dreamy candlelit video / Goodbye

    homeless person

    Mensahighlife’s new video brings the homeless into focus

    Three musicians with candles

    Linéa impresses with live version of Fleetwood Mac’s / Dreams

    red image

    Shadi G unfolds her feelings with tender new single

    Beverly Girl revisit a classic for Christmas

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Record cover art

    Sailors Daughter – SAIE SAIE

    Classy record cover

    Malena Laszlo – The Good Life

    Album cover

    Coming Home – Tomi Malm

    Girl on album cover

    Art – Alyza

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk

    The Service shake new sonic dimensions

    Young people on a boat

    Young band Martinas Mixtape set sail in a neo-soul direction

    Black jazz singer

    Avant-garde artist Nomzi Kumalo embodies vintage class and unveiled emotion

    Man holding guitar smiling

    6 tips for managing your mental health during the Corona pandemic

    Sad musician

    Raising awareness of mental health support for musicians

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

  • News
    mixed couple

    Isah adds a new dimension to Emilie Nicolas’s killer single

    Paulina Creola

    Paulina Creola keeps love alive / We’ll Live on Forever

    Band video still

    OWMI release new visual concept of R&B single / Slipping (In A Chapel)

    Woman surrounded by candles

    AMAYA finds comfort and peace in dreamy candlelit video / Goodbye

    homeless person

    Mensahighlife’s new video brings the homeless into focus

    Three musicians with candles

    Linéa impresses with live version of Fleetwood Mac’s / Dreams

    red image

    Shadi G unfolds her feelings with tender new single

    Beverly Girl revisit a classic for Christmas

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Record cover art

    Sailors Daughter – SAIE SAIE

    Classy record cover

    Malena Laszlo – The Good Life

    Album cover

    Coming Home – Tomi Malm

    Girl on album cover

    Art – Alyza

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk

    The Service shake new sonic dimensions

    Young people on a boat

    Young band Martinas Mixtape set sail in a neo-soul direction

    Black jazz singer

    Avant-garde artist Nomzi Kumalo embodies vintage class and unveiled emotion

    Man holding guitar smiling

    6 tips for managing your mental health during the Corona pandemic

    Sad musician

    Raising awareness of mental health support for musicians

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

No Result
View All Result

Charlotte Dos Santos releases new single / Good sign

Iron Island debuts an emotional ballad

Djeff blossom with debut album

Andy Collins by Andy Collins
10/06/2017
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Pinterest

Let me begin by saying this.

The debut album, In Bloom, by 7-piece Danish band Djeff showcases a band striving for reinvention and recreation and is one of the best albums you’ll hear from Scandinavia in 2017

I write this early so you can press play now rather than read through my words.

If you’re still here, let me explain why?

Based in Silkeborg / Copenhagen, Djeff is an ensemble cast of unique perspectives. Their approach to the project finds space for each member; Keshia Christiansen – Christoffer Holm Clausen – Rasmus Riis Sitarz – Christian Holm Clausen – Mads Sigaard – Shabnam Motahari – Martin Møller, to give their voice in their own unique, musical language.

The gentle opener Set Me Free, feels like a gentle walk in a garden as our host greets us with a spoken word montage before leading us the groove filled forest of #2 Eternal Laws. Adorned with a D’Angelo lick, soulful vocals and rounded with an impassioned Black preacher speech. It’s a solid track.

Track #3 My Love, is a soul-hop track layered with a spectrum of immense musicality, enhanced with 90’s Soul touches that imbue it with a kaleidoscope of beauty.

Lyrically reminiscent of Finnish bands Humus and Dolla Lova who wove compelling intrigue into their constructions, track #4 Natural, is a killer, and the breakdown elements within this track make it one of the standouts of the set.

The 7 min run time of #6 On the Search  – confirms what I knew. Djeff isn’t a band trying to produce pop hits; they want to re-connect with the fragrant essence of music and express themselves in their way, and in their own time. You know, like real music should.

When Keshia sings ‘Soul is what I really miss’ not only does she demonstrate her vocal dexterity, but it also feels like a statement that lies at the heart of the band’s creation. This message chimes strongly with me, and the roots of scandinaviansoul.com

The sound of African voices on Unajali – is an enjoyable interlude. It somehow fits and yet acts as a symbol of their global influences.

I can’t stop playing the immersive 6min wonder that is #8 What If I Told You? featuring Mathias Heise. The track is planted in fertile soil, and the harmonica comes alive on this sparkling gem, and I’m so thankful for its run time!

It honestly feels like my Grado headphones love it as much as my ears, as they did the albums’ final track #9 Symphoty. Another musically expansively that has a special warmth about it, that once again leaves you hoping this musical garden excursion doesn’t end.

The whole album is rich in American neo-soul influences and lovingly reproduced with Danish skill, sincerity and complexity.

Not everything works though. Some tracks end too abruptly, and the slow-down fade out does disturb the absorbing mind-flow, but the essence in the next track always makes up for any nit-picking.

Whilst the album ‘borrows’ heavily from US neo-soul greats D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and Robert Glasper, there’s a fresh synchronisation of styles, where they purposely fuse hip-hop/soul/R&B/jazz with subtle pop and rock sensibilities.

The whole album; the instrumentation, the creative production, the organic interpretation and the soulful vocals of Keshia Christiansen are enough to demonstrate a pure, authentic and passionate desire to make soul music.

I already know I want to see this band live.

Over to you Djeff. Bring your videos, vinyl, cassettes or t-shirts. I’m sold, and happy to lay in the sun and continue listening in their beautiful new garden.

The Review

4 Score

Don't let this one pass you by! There's a beautiful garden here to explore!

Review Breakdown

  • 4
Tags: danish soulDjeffnew album
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Girl leaning back in blue light
Latest News

Signe Anna delivers sensual sensational soul / Brug For

by Andy Collins
26/06/2020
Latest News

Anya pushes boundaries with double release / Farlig & Min Kind

by Amandus Kraftling
06/03/2020
Features

Ten tracks on Soundcloud that need some lovings

by Andy Collins
14/02/2020
Latest News

Bette releases new double A-side single

by Andy Collins
19/10/2018
Load More

Latest News

mixed couple
Latest News

Isah adds a new dimension to Emilie Nicolas’s killer single

15/01/2021
Paulina Creola
Latest News

Paulina Creola keeps love alive / We’ll Live on Forever

15/01/2021
Band video still
Latest News

OWMI release new visual concept of R&B single / Slipping (In A Chapel)

08/01/2021
Prev Next

Archives

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

  • New year and lots of new music! @amayamusicofficial helped kick off another fabulous year of music with her single/video - Goodbye. Both are as mesmerizing as this photo.✨

#amaya #soulful #serene #scandinaviansoul
  • You can see why @diza.guava was one of my top listens of 2020!! 👏🏾🔥🔥At a time of global stress her groove and moves were the joyous freedom of expression I needed. But it seems only Diza can dance like Diza... as I proved! 😂 Thank you Diza for keeping the spirits high! 😊 Feel free to join in and celebrate the new year in Diza style! ✨🎉🎉🕺🏼💃🏾❤️✨🔥🔥🔥🔥Heres to 2021!  #behindthescenes #dizaguava #scandinaviansoul #newyear
  • Behind the scenes— I spent Christmas with the Scorpion King! Don’t tell my partner but damn I’m loving this flute funky disc by Ernie Hawks 😂 ❤️🎉🎄✨✨@timmionrecords #funky #finnishsoul #scorpionking #vinyl #yellow #scandinaviansoul

Little extra details…

  • My account
  • Customer Service
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Behind the scenes

  • ABOUT US
  • EVERYTHING SCANDINAVIAN SOUL IS AND ISN’T
  • JOIN OUR TEAM

“stripe”

© 2021 scandinaviansoul.com. Design by 68-design.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Single / EP Reviews
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • Soul Talk
  • Videos
  • Playlists
  • Artists / Bands
  • SOUL SHOP
  • Cart
  • Contact us
  • About us
Close