THE GARDEN

Description

Ltd Edition 10" Budapest based concept label Blue Sun welcomes formerly independent local afrobeat-jazz ensemble to its catalogue with a nuanced 4 tracker EP. The release not only marks the beginning of the collaboration, but a definite new musical direction in the band’s life. Written in a one week jam session retreat in the Hungarian countryside, and recorded at one of the highest peaks of Hungary after a year of global touring, The Garden becomes an amalgamation of the band's personal and artistic experiences. The material conveys a more jazzier approach, with complex harmonies, and an almost cinematic, dreamlike atmosphere, somewhat distancing from (but not completely forgetting) the previously emphasized, dance-oriented Afro- and Latino roots. Song for Ramon serves as the EP’s emotional climax inspired by the passing of a close friend and local underground chef pioneer. Formed in 2019 in Budapest, Hakumba is a staple of the Hungarian festival circuit, with a growing international presence (SXSW London, SHIP, PIN Music Showcase). They’ve recently finished a tour in Australia this January. The groove-driven ensemble blends afrobeat, jazz, and various strands of world music into a sound that is both rhythmically powerful and harmonically adventurous. With an eleven-piece lineup featuring an expansive horn section, multiple vocalists, percussion, and keys, the band moves effortlessly between dancefloor energy and more intricate, jazz-influenced musical ideas. Like the band’s previous album, the EP was again recorded, mixed, and mastered by András Weil, the producer behind The Qualitons, the only hungarian band ever performed Live at KEXP. This continuity preserves Hakumba’s recognizable sonic identity while giving space for new colors and more complex musical ideas to emerge. Written & performed by: Soma Számel – drums Endre Szép – bass Imre Hegedűs – guitar Zalán Bendegúz Huff – guitar, vocals Csongor Mari – keys Noel Nagy – percussion, vocals Dorka Foster – flute, vocals Kristóf Szabó – alto sax Alpár Sikó – tenor sax Gáspár Simon – trumpet András Téglásy – baritone sax Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Andras Weil Artwork by Eszter Lukács Graphic design by Péter Tóth Manufactured by AD Records Distributed by Rush Hour Recorded at Galyatető, Hungary Released under the Blue Sun