2019 saw the unveiling of Chalky and Seppa’s combined vision; Bright Spots was an instant hit right out of the gate, showcasing a compositional prowess and dedication to a pure, unadulterated vibe that has been the hallmark of soul-infused instrumentalists since the inextricable rise of jazz and blues music. In the time since that first collaborative album, the boys have been hard at work refining their combined acumen, and the result is a fusion album with few worthy comparisons; Strange Changes personifies what makes truly linear, narrative albums so enticing as a full package, and betrays the veteran confidence of their craft that makes this duo so strikingly vivacious.

Bright Spots was a finely tuned first forray into the ambling possibilities of Chalky and Seppa's combined output, anchored securely by it's groovy songwriting and moving instrumental duets. It was a stunningly well-produced experience, portraying a musical veneer that already felt far from it's infancy. Rather appropriately, Strange Changes carries the character of a project deep into it's maturity, exploring a comfortably fresh variety of dimensions and niche pockets within the realm of soul music.

Across fourteen tracks, Chalky and Seppa lay down a journey into vibrant nooks and technicolor soundscapes, meandering at a pace befitting a tempered stroll through psychedelia. The relationship between each song is the veritable glue of that journey, and a reprised staple that made Bright Spots so immediately palletable. “Bump It” opens the album’s front door with the perfect equilibrium of head-nod and sultry phrasing, gradually tuning the ears until you're trapped in the rhythm's absolute gravity. Once it has you, the only way out of it’s pull is to ride it out, and you'd be hard pressed to find a reason not to. From “Interplanetary Timeshare” to “Diffusion”, it's forward-thinking jazz and loungey instrumental saunters. From “Sizzle Me Timbers” on, the weighty edge of the duo's heavier production backgrounds begins to sublimate across the compositions. Braying harmonies and tactile sound design mingle together for a righteous impact, and that amped-up attitude carries on right up until the album's end. Aptly concluded with “Nap Time”, the very last tones of the release ring out like a somber lullaby, exuding a choice finality befitting of such a loquacious project.

There are many spins on the phrase “it's about the journey, not the destination”, and Strange Changes might be one of the finest and brightest iterations. It’s an ode to the power of painstaking compositions, berift of production shortcuts or hurried arrangements. Consequently, it is an album with the potential for near universal appeal, combining the impact and precision of contemporary engineering with timeless instrumentation. Two years and two full releases later, Chalky and Seppa show no signs of running dry of pure inspiration, and the magnitude of progression from Bright Spots to Strange Changes has our ears squarely fixated on their creative output. With nowhere else to go but up, we've no lack of confidence about the future of this blue-moon tag team, and you'd be just as wise to keep a tab on their every musical move.

FOLLOW Chalky: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Facebook

FOLLOW Seppa: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Facebook