Azamiah are INDIA BLUE (vocals), Josef Akin (keys), Alex Palmer (drums), and Norman Villeroux (bass). The band draw on jazz roots while touching on everything from electronica to dubby low-end, taking the listener on a journey across moody and light landscapes. Their 2023 debut album In Phases won praise from The Skinny and CLASH and received plays on BBC 6Music and NTS.
Their follow up release, Two Lands resonates with emotional honesty and is played with a fresh intensity. “In a way, the songs feel more full… just because we’re giving it more energy, and more power,” says bass player Norman.
Opening track ‘My Lonely Heart’ sets the tone for the EP. INDIA BLUE’s gorgeous, mellifluous vocal is framed by gossamer electronica, nimble percussion, painterly daubs of keys and a nimble house groove. A song about heartbreak and rejuvenation, it connects Azamiah’s musicality to a higher purpose. “Times of pain or grief are necessary for growth – they teach you things,” says the vocalist. “Pain isn’t permanent, because nothing in life is permanent. Don’t worry, because everything’s going to be OK!”
Freedom music that seeks out independent pathways, this remarkable four-piece are in line to become the next crossover phenomenon from the UK’s jazz underground.
