The debut full-length album from London's
Puma Blue
, 2021's
In Praise of Shadows
, showcases his hypnotic blend of lyrical indie rock and jazzy, '90s-style downtempo electronica. The stage name of singer/songwriter and producer
Jacob Allen
,
first garnered buzz for his equally atmospheric EPs, 2017's
Swum Baby
and 2018's
Blood Loss
.
finds him further expanding his guitar- and vocals-based sound, weaving in a dusky blend of analog and electronic textures. Try to imagine something along the lines of
Jeff Buckley
recording at home with
J Dilla
, and you won't be far off from the narcotic bedroom vibe
conjures here. Poetically titled cuts like "Velvet Leaves," "Opiate," and "Slick Print" mix
Allen
's hushed vocals with shimmering guitar riffs and head-nodding beats that he pushes way up in the mix. Elsewhere, he draws upon an otherworldly combination of influences, his harmonized, double-tracked vocals evoking a surprising concoction of
Sade
and
Low
on the ballad "Silk Print." Similarly evocative, "Oil Slick" nicely updates the vintage trip-hop of bands like
Morcheeba
Massive Attack
with its frenetic groove, strings, and sax solo. It's also impressive how balanced
's sound can be, intentionally threatening to fall off the page with a lo-fi guitar sample one second and then diving into a mesmerizingly seductive R&B groove the next, as on the
D'Angelo
-esque "Is It Because." With
has crafted a deliberate slow burn of a debut album you'll enjoy taking your time with. ~ Matt Collar