Breathe Deep features contributions from Lianne La Havas and members of KOKOROKO, Ezra Collective, Sons Of Kemet and Maisha.
South London’s Oscar Jerome has released his solo debut album.
Long-awaited and highly anticipated, the release of Breathe Deep has suffered no loss of momentum despite pandemic-related delays as Jerome presents a body of work that masterfully navigates a plethora of stylistic realms in accompaniment of bold and thoughtful lyricism.
Speaking on the creation of his new project, Jerome explains
“Breathe Deep is a pretty broad presentation of who I am musically and my journey to get to this point. On a personal level, it’s a reflection of the effort put in during that path of self-bettering, both emotionally and in life more broadly. It’s about preparing oneself for failure and growing from that. Taking a moment to step back and see where things are going and where one has been. It also addresses the resilience of people, which is reflected in the more political moments on the album. The world is a messed up place but people still find ways of preparing themselves for it.”
From dexterous, afrobeat and jazz-flecked meditations bolstered by members of KOKOROKO, Ezra Collective, Sons Of Kemet and Maisha to a rich and stirring duet with Lianne La Havas bathed in the warm, enveloping glow of brass, hear Breathe Deep below.
Breathe Deep is out now via Caroline International. Purchase the album on all physical formats here.
Words by Sam Wilkinson.
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