In Ze Early Morning

In Ze Early Morning is the second album of the nomadic artist iZem, who has become an expert in the art of combining the sounds, technologies and cultures he encounters while on the road. Eight years after the critically-acclaimed Hafa, iZem is back with nine songs distinguished by a jazzy and tropical taste, and recorded between Portugal, Brazil and France, his country of origin. Alongside a horns section influenced by Afro-Latin and Ethio-jazz, iZem wakes up with ‘6AM’, an instrumental introduction which tells a lot about the delicacy of this whole album mainly shaped by collaborations. After working with Lusophone music legends Elza Soares and Mayra Andrade, he appears here alongside Brazilians Flavia Coelho & Luiza on ‘Sua Pele’, a brilliant R&B-infused song. Among other guests, the globetrotter also invites Lucas Santtana on a reggae riddim, and then enhances the sweet voice of the Portuguese Dino D’Santiago on ‘Leba’, before overlaying his own on Jimena Angel’s throughout ‘A Veces’, a dubby Colombian cumbia. We would have loved to hear iZem blurring the line between acoustic and electronic a little more, like he did on his EP Beni Lane, even if the tracks ‘Ochun’ and ‘10PM’ are trying to bring this interesting twist. Nothing new under the sun, but at least the sun is shining!