Touching, fun and fresh

Grammy and Oscar Award winner Jon Batiste, known for his pop and jazz sound, just released his seventh album World Music Radio. Batiste’s goal with this record is to capture a breadth of cultures by collaborating with artists from varying backgrounds. Without a doubt, inclusivity is an integral part of this release which is seen as the album progresses.

The theme of the album is highlighted in “Hello, Billy Bob,” where a radio announcer playfully talks about music from all around the world. Buzzing bass and twinkling chimes leads into the first full-length song entitled “Raindance (feat. Native Soul).” Beginning with a deep bassline and continuing on with a reggae-influenced beat, the smooth vocals nicely complement the groove of this hopeful piece. “Be Who You Are (feat. JID, NewJeans, & Camilo)” has a catchy chorus that consists of a children’s choir, synth and a bouncy beat. It’s as if Batiste crafted this piece to be a quintessential summer anthem. Sticking to the record’s theme of diversity, there are verses in both Korean and Spanish while simultaneously an 8-bit sound effect plays.

“Worship” starts out slow, but then Batiste adds in many percussive elements that make for a danceable listen, all while he reflects on family. “My Heart (feat. Rita Payés)” is sweet and old-timey with lyrics mostly in Spanish. Payés’s voice is quiet and raspy. Regardless of what language the listener speaks, they’d be able to pick up on the bittersweet undertones emanating from just her voice alone. The track moves from feeling like a composition from the 1920s to droning bass that imitates a heartbeat.

“Drink Water (feat. Jon Bellion & Fireboy DML)” has a chill vibe. It seems Batiste took a simplistic approach in terms of the score, yet it definitely pays off. “Calling Your Name” rides off the soothing effect of the previous track while remaining funky. There’s pleasant reverb on the instrumentation and Batiste’s voice as he plays with the rhythm of the lyrics. “Butterfly” features soft piano and Batiste’s sanguine vocals. Filled with emotion and clear imagery presented in the lyrics, such as a “butterfly flying home” and “all dressed in white,” the ninth track is potentially the most intimate piece on World Music Radio.

“Uneasy (feat. Lil Wayne)” is another track with a groovy bassline. Lil Wayne’s rap is backed by jazzy piano and synth. After his solo, it is fun to hear how these two instruments play with each other to see when they allow the other to individually shine. Batiste eventually takes a more futuristic turn in “BOOM FOR REAL” with layered vocals, dirty drums, glitchy chimes and chopped up cymbals creating a rattling noise. The haunting woodwind instrument throughout adds to this feeling.

“MOVEMENT 18’” consists of piano and clips from various speeches, prayers and conversations. Batiste does a wonderful job with his piano dynamics. He has an intuitive understanding of when to lower and increase the intensity of his playing. This is especially heard in his improvising at the end. From there, “Master Power” incorporates aspects of yet another genre. Batiste was clearly influenced by country music as heard by the steel guitar, standup bass and brush playing the snare drum. He decides to speak-sing in this piece, which emphasizes Batiste’s willingness to experiment.

“Running Away (feat. Leigh-Anne)” is incredibly soulful and focuses on R&B elements, particularly with the gospel choir and lush mixing of vocals. Leigh-Anne’s higher-range voice beautifully accompanies the choir. The track is hopeful and realistic with the lyrics “what’s love if we can’t be brave?” and “you keep going down, down, but you can’t keep running away.” Batiste’s vocal range shines through as each word is sung. Closing the record is “Life Lesson (feat. Lana Del Rey).” Del Rey’s ethereal voice makes the already delicate imagery, such as a little red car and a woman’s hair parted in the middle, even more elegant. The strings bring the right amount of emotion to the song. Batiste’s album ends on the hum of a violin and low piano note.

World Music Radio accomplishes exactly what Batiste set out to do— to give musicians of different backgrounds a voice to tell their stories and highlight sounds that are not as present in pop music, especially in English speaking countries. With all these aspects considered, along with the crisp production, this new release is for sure worth checking out.