Chris Bangs - Dream World (2024) [Hi-Res]

Acid jazz legend Chris Bangs returns with a brand new album for 2024, following his early-2023 release Firebird, and 2022’s collaboration with Mick Talbot Sumthin’ Else. His latest long-player Dream World on the Acid Jazz label – a characteristic font of latin jazz from the maestro producer.

Bangs is known for originally coining the term ‘acid jazz’ – a movement which subsequently morphed into the label – as he and likeminded DJs (including Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller) began to combine jazz, soul and rock-fusion with the prominent sounds of acid house in the late ‘80s. Having worked extensively as a producer and DJ – including credits with his own The Quiet Boys, Paul Weller, Galliano and of course most recently Mick Talbot - Dream World follows a string of solo releases.

The album draws influence from the Mizell Brothers, Wayne Henderson and George Duke – the latter providing direct inspiration, with a cover of ‘My Soul’ opening the record and serving as the first single.

The tracks see some new collaborators in the Bangs ranks – including Argentine keyboardist Luciano De La Rosa, Italian Massimo Morganti on trombone, Chile’s Juan Pi Salvo on trumpet, and Fabio Tiralongo on sax – making it a truly global production.

Self-described as ‘pure labour of love’ by Bangs himself, the album is a further expansion of his remarkable sound and vision, and his own ever-expanding dream world of (acid) jazz that moves far beyond genre-casting.