8legs: Shabaka hutchings

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Shabaka Of The Earth Review: UK jazz lynchpin uncovers a whole new world

Shabaka Hutchings presents Of The Earth as a self-produced, boundary-pushing project that melds sax, flute, and electronic textures into a cohesive, global sound.
The album was built while Hutchings traveled, using a DIY approach that stacks unison flute parts to compensate for non-studio environments.
Voice as instrument marks a new facet: Hutchings delivers his own gruff rap-like verses, expanding the sonic palette beyond instrumental jazz.
Eyes Lowered channels political and spiritual inquiry through technological metaphor, continuing Hutchings’ thematic thread across the record.
Step Lightly and Light The Way layer textures so densely that the tracks feel like multiple songs existing simultaneously.
Of The Earth shifts away from pure jazz toward a global, DIY ethos with Warp associations, reflecting Hutchings’ broader production approach.
The album is framed as a new era in Hutchings’ narrative, marking a transitional chapter in his evolving sonic language.
Marwa The Mountain was identified as a standout lead single, signaling the album’s opening arc and its expansive sonic direction.
Of The Earth features Hutchings’ vocal experiments, revealing a new facet of his artistry and willingness to explore hip-hop cadences.
The production philosophy emphasizes minimal gear and maximal creative intent—‘everything you need is musical material and a creative mind.’

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