Concord Ambient Jazz 

In their latest offering, Letters from the Atlantic, Richmond-based ensemble Butcher Brown delivers a forward-thinking suite of jazz fusion steeped in groove, subtle experimentation, and layered sonic environments. With collaborators like Melanie Charles, MIA GLADSTONE, and YaYa Brown, the album is less a simple collection of tracks than a seaborne journey—each piece gently ferrying the listener across moods and musical eras.

The album’s opener, “Seagulls,” makes its intent known immediately. Field-recorded seagull cries give way to a shimmering, up-tempo rhythm that echoes the pulse of early house music. Sparkling keys and restrained horn phrases dance across a steady drum loop, evoking the dreamy movement of waves under sunlight. It’s an atmospheric beginning that sets the tone—elevated but grounded, technical yet soulful.

“Unwind” follows with a stark shift in texture. A swelling set of piano chords opens the track, quickly met by jazz hi-hats and airy flute runs. Melanie Charles’ vocals weave seamlessly into the instrumental arrangement, performing a delicate call-and-response with the flute that enhances the song’s balance between movement and meditation. The drum kit anchors the piece with gentle propulsion, never overpowering its harmonic warmth.

“Backline” centers around a tightly coiled bass groove, which provides the skeletal frame for guitar licks and shifting keyboard tones. The keys are especially dynamic—starting as sharp, metallic pulses before dissolving into fluid jazz phrasing. The tempo here eases slightly, encouraging the listener to settle into its swaying rhythm. Butcher Brown exhibits full control over space and timing, knowing when to let the arrangement breathe.

“Right Here” leans into layered percussion, with handclaps and upbeat drums adding kinetic lift. Ethereal guitar and bass elements create a swirling effect under the vocals of Leanor Wolf, whose performance glides across the mix like smoke. The band’s vocals—marking their first rap verse on the record—introduce a new cadence while maintaining the album’s cohesive texture.

A sense of tranquility defines “Change in Weather.” A subdued acoustic guitar lines the song’s edges while MIA GLADSTONE’s falsetto floats above an electric guitar that gradually moves from ambient presence to expressive lead. The track maintains a dreamlike lull, aided by subtle production choices that keep the listener suspended in a twilight haze.

“Dinorah Dinorah,” a reinvention of the Brazilian classic, momentarily diverges from the album’s palette. Staccato piano chords inject a bright pulse while the saxophone enters in lockstep with nimble percussion. A second act introduces handclaps and swelling strings, allowing the sax to move freely over a foundational bassline. It’s playful yet precise—executed with both reverence and flair.

“I Remember” retreats into a subdued emotional register. Echoing electric guitar lines form the backbone, while punchy bass and measured drums establish a meditative groove. YaYa Brown’s vocals are gentle and crystalline, while a theremin-like synth adds an off-kilter surrealism. The result is a nostalgic and otherworldly song, grounded in memory yet open to fantasy.

“Ibiza” marks the album’s most percussive moment. Introduced by cowbell strikes and layered hand percussion, it simmers with techno influences—drum pads and looping electronics build into a distorted, immersive rhythm. A saxophone eventually bursts into the frame, shrieking with intensity that toes the line between joy and catharsis. It’s a sensory climax, a track that captures the chaos and euphoria of movement.

The closing track, “Infant Eyes,” returns the listener gently to earth. Its upbeat drums recall the energy of earlier tracks, but the instrumentation is more subdued. A piano drifts in and out of focus until a saxophone enters with elongated notes that stretch time, leaning into the beat rather than leading it. The song encapsulates the project’s ethos—elevated musicianship rooted in emotional clarity.

Letters from the Atlantic has deft production, genre-blurring arrangements, and standout guest features; the record plays like a conversation between past and future—anchored in groove but always reaching for something just out of frame.