Oracle, The
Reviews
Danielle Greene
Reviewed 2019-03-03
Reviewed 2019-03-03
Danny Danger
Reviewed 02/18/2019
Artist: Angel Bat Dawid
Album: The Oracle
The Oracle is the debut studio album by Chicago-based jazz and improvisional artist Angel Bat Dawid. Recorded entirely via her cellphone, The Oracle was created by Angel almost entirely alone – all sounds (dubbing, mixed instrumentalization, voices, etc.) are of her creation. Experimental jazz with a cathartic spiritual vibe – very avant-garde Blackness lyrics.
Related Artists: Idris Ackamoor, Sons of Kemet, Kamasi Washington
*FCC: None
Reviewer Favorites: 5, 6, 8
1. Destination (Dr. Yusef Lateef) (2:22) – Starts with soft music box sound – a bit haunting but chipper still – joined later by a clarinet, techno-y spoken word/poetry, ends with poetry and no music
2. Black Family (6;19) – Percussive intro with clarinet overlaid instrumental until 2:30, low repetition of “Black family” by adults and maybe a small child, sounds of loops + violins
3. What Shall I Tell My Children Who are Black (Dr. Margaret Burroughs) (3:20) – Music box opening (slow repetitive piano refrains), repetitive operatic singing that leads into spoken word and back again, slow melancholy sound
4. Impepho (3:39) – upbeat and jazzy mixed instrumental (wind instruments, steady bongos, electronic overlay), slows down to midtempo midway through, no words, slow fade out
5. We Are Starzz (4:23) – soft repetitive bass, floaty clarinet sound, piano, repetitive lyrics, smooth but powerful singing (her vocals are double layered)
6. London (2:47) – bright upbeat clarinet over lively piano playing, you can hear her intakes of breath in-between playing which gives it a “live show” feel, abrupt end
7. Cape Town [fea. Asher Simiso Gamedze] (15:36) – staccato drumming, clarinet, turns into a frantic jazzy sound, guttural singing and clarinet take turns, smooths out to prominent bongo playing and clarinet overlay and then ramps back up, last twenty seconds are near-silence but ends with a cathartic vocal release
8. The Oracle (5:24) – harmonizing over piano, clarinet and emotional and passionate singing, midtempo, Black churchy feels
Reviewed 02/18/2019
Artist: Angel Bat Dawid
Album: The Oracle
The Oracle is the debut studio album by Chicago-based jazz and improvisional artist Angel Bat Dawid. Recorded entirely via her cellphone, The Oracle was created by Angel almost entirely alone – all sounds (dubbing, mixed instrumentalization, voices, etc.) are of her creation. Experimental jazz with a cathartic spiritual vibe – very avant-garde Blackness lyrics.
Related Artists: Idris Ackamoor, Sons of Kemet, Kamasi Washington
*FCC: None
Reviewer Favorites: 5, 6, 8
1. Destination (Dr. Yusef Lateef) (2:22) – Starts with soft music box sound – a bit haunting but chipper still – joined later by a clarinet, techno-y spoken word/poetry, ends with poetry and no music
2. Black Family (6;19) – Percussive intro with clarinet overlaid instrumental until 2:30, low repetition of “Black family” by adults and maybe a small child, sounds of loops + violins
3. What Shall I Tell My Children Who are Black (Dr. Margaret Burroughs) (3:20) – Music box opening (slow repetitive piano refrains), repetitive operatic singing that leads into spoken word and back again, slow melancholy sound
4. Impepho (3:39) – upbeat and jazzy mixed instrumental (wind instruments, steady bongos, electronic overlay), slows down to midtempo midway through, no words, slow fade out
5. We Are Starzz (4:23) – soft repetitive bass, floaty clarinet sound, piano, repetitive lyrics, smooth but powerful singing (her vocals are double layered)
6. London (2:47) – bright upbeat clarinet over lively piano playing, you can hear her intakes of breath in-between playing which gives it a “live show” feel, abrupt end
7. Cape Town [fea. Asher Simiso Gamedze] (15:36) – staccato drumming, clarinet, turns into a frantic jazzy sound, guttural singing and clarinet take turns, smooths out to prominent bongo playing and clarinet overlay and then ramps back up, last twenty seconds are near-silence but ends with a cathartic vocal release
8. The Oracle (5:24) – harmonizing over piano, clarinet and emotional and passionate singing, midtempo, Black churchy feels
Recent airplay
Cape Town (Feat. Asher Simiso Gamedze)
Music Casserole — Sep 07, 2024
Destination (Dr. Yusef Lateef)
Passenger Princess — Feb 14, 2024
London
The Doghouse — Nov 15, 2022
The Oracle
Music Casserole — May 18, 2019
Impepho
Attitude Adjustment — May 07, 2019
We Are Starzz
Play Black Womxn — Apr 25, 2019
Charting
2019-04-02 — 2019-06-04
Classical/Experimental
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| May 19 | 1 |
| May 12 | 1 |
| Apr 28 | 1 |
| Apr 14 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Destination (Dr. Yusef Lateef) | ||
| 2. | Black Family | ||
| 3. | What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black (Dr. Margaret Burroughs)) | ||
| 4. | Impepho | ||
| 5. | We Are Starzz | ||
| 6. | London | ||
| 7. | Cape Town (Feat. Asher Simiso Gamedze) | ||
| 8. | The Oracle |