It’s Always About Liberation sounds like a deeply searching, trance-inducing work of spiritual jazz that balances vast orchestral ambition with an intimate, communal warmth. Conceived by bassist and composer Ozzy Moysey, the 16-piece Leeds ensemble crafts a soundscape that feels simultaneously grounded in the earth and reaching toward the cosmic. Rich, acoustic layers—twin double basses, plucked harp, shimmering strings, and woodwinds—weave around hypnotic mbira patterns, Gnawa-inspired trance rhythms, and gentle hand percussion. The album glides effortlessly between reflective, chamber-like quietude and soaring, choir-backed crescendos that radiate collective resilience. Channeling the meditative lineage of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and modern Gondwana labelmates like Matthew Halsall, it is a sound that feels less like a structured performance and more like a shared, transformative ritual.
It’s Always About Liberation sounds like a deeply searching, trance-inducing work of spiritual jazz that balances vast orchestral ambition with an intimate, communal warmth. Conceived by bassist and composer Ozzy Moysey, the 16-piece Leeds ensemble crafts a soundscape that feels simultaneously grounded in the earth and reaching toward the cosmic. Rich, acoustic layers—twin double basses, plucked harp, shimmering strings, and woodwinds—weave around hypnotic mbira patterns, Gnawa-inspired trance rhythms, and gentle hand percussion. The album glides effortlessly between reflective, chamber-like quietude and soaring, choir-backed crescendos that radiate collective resilience. Channeling the meditative lineage of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and modern Gondwana labelmates like Matthew Halsall, it is a sound that feels less like a structured performance and more like a shared, transformative ritual.