Deon Jamar from Detroit drops his first release on the recently founded label Black Music, which was originally an art exhibit, concert, and party series founded by him and Brian Oscar. Jamar has now completed nine tracks in digital format and five of them have already landed on twelve inches.
The first EP opens with the title tune “Altars” where the artist is at the controls of a deep house express. Nocturnal pads are hovering over dry, wooden percussion, resulting in a cosmic jam in the vein of Wilhite, Pittman and pals. Then a suggestive reverend chairs the following spiritual part (“Mystery Babylon”), narrating about mothers, fathers and the Book of Revelation. With its erratic and scorching bass line it’s close to “Preacherman” and “Alien Abduction” by Green Velvet. On the flip, “Truth And Reconciliation” fills ten minutes with ambient scenery, painted by floating pads and delicate percussion.
The second single “Altars Part 2” is a two-tracker of purebred deep house, featuring “Ok Dub” and “Already Seen”. However, I would have added “Mystery Dub”, a broken-machine instrumental stirring chaos in the hood. For sure, expecting more from Deon Jamar and the fittingly titled Black Music.
Buy vinyl:
Juno (UK)
Mother Tongue Records (IT)
Newtone Records (JP)