UK jazz-fusion band Lydian Collective releases upbeat, groove-led second album ‘Return’ on May 27th 2022

Genre-bending instrumental group announce Limited Edition double vinyl, available to pre-order now 

UK Tour scheduled for 2022 in association with Chai Wallahs. 

January 28, 2022 – Lydian Collective, the UK instrumental group who’ve racked up multi-million Spotify streams and YouTube views and played world-famous stages in the UK and beyond, will release their second album Return on May 27th on AWAL. 

Since their last LP (2018’s Adventure, which currently accounts for 4 million of the band’s Spotify streams) Lydian Collective have steadily built a reputation among fans, tastemakers, venues and critics as creators of ‘life-affirming music’ (Nick Luscombe, BBC R3) that makes ‘genre-crashing, boundary smashing music seem effortless’ (Clash Magazine). From The Jazz Cafe to Ronnie Scotts, Green Man Fest to Cheltenham Jazz, Lydian Collective have evolved their craft from the studio to the stage, finding a new fluidity and dynamism in their live shows.

It is precisely that live spirit that is celebrated in Return, an album that is evidently shaped by having explored many of the compositions on stage before bringing them to the studio. The final track November (a popular YouTube studio session, not available to buy or stream until now) embodies this spirit, having evolved into its current form through years of performing together.

Known widely for their infectious grooves, colourful arrangements, unconventional time signatures and catchy melodies, the music remains as instantly recognisable as it is hard to define. Aaron Wheeler - the band’s co-founder and pianist - says: ‘This record has our familiar sound - it’s just freer. Once Adventure came out and we started playing live, we were drawn to a slightly looser, groove-based sound - with more scope for improvisation. We’d always focused on precision, but it felt right to lean into the more natural dynamic of the live shows.’

The first three singles from of the album - High 555, Shuffle Bubble and Out Of The Woods - set three very different scenes. The first is a funk-fuelled, high energy track that one critic described as a mix of ‘Chic, Daft Punk, Stevie Wonder and 70s cop show music’. Shuffle Bubble brings the tempo marginally lower with bouncy guitar hooks and nostalgic melodies that ascend into a vintage psychedelic jam, while the folksy magic of Out Of The Woods showcases the lesser-known sounds of the Swedish nyckelharpa courtesy of a collaboration with Lucie Treacher.

The band’s four musicians - Aaron Wheeler (keys), Todd Baker (guitar), Sophie Alloway (drums) and Ida Hollis (bass) - are looking forward to a UK tour in 2022, having been cut off in their performance prime due to the pandemic. ‘Our last show before Covid hit was at Ronnie Scotts,’ says Todd Baker. ‘It had always been a dream to play Ronnie’s, and we ended up being pretty much the last band on that stage before everything was shut down. We’re looking forward to celebrating live music again.’ 

Return with be available in a very limited run of double vinyl, available to pre-order now at lydiancollective.fanlink.to/return

Full tour dates will be announced soon at lydiancollective.com/tour

Further links:

lydiancollective.com

instagram.com/lydiancollective

facebook.com/lydiancollective

twitter.com/lydiancollectiv

For more information, interview and review requests, please contact: Hey Boo! Creative +44(0)7876 247 358 / alex@heyboocreative.com / heyboocreative.com