“Memories Of Nanzenji” is the first cut from the Japanese-New Zealander’s upcoming album.
Something of a musical chameleon, Mark de Clive Lowe is able to juggle piano, synths, live sampling and beat-making simultaneously, on stage or in the studio. His musical output draws influence from many different genres and eras: Native Tongues hip hop and UK jungle as well as all manner of jazz and electronic music, leading Gilles Peterson to dub him the “man behind a million great tunes.”
All this makes his upcoming album, Heritage, a tantalizing prospect. Speaking about the Ropeadope release, MdCL explained its deeply personal significance: “Heritage is the idea of transmitting from the past to the future – knowing more about who we are and were where going by understanding where we come from.” This idea of distant time zones and the fragile connections between them seems captured in “Memories Of Nanzenji,” a sprawling and subtle instrumental journey.
Having collaborated with the likes of Kamasi Washington and Eric Harland and having contributed to over three hundred releases, this new LP will be yet another addition to an already prolific career. The full album is due out on February 8. Listen to the new track here:
