Esperanza Spalding Emily's D+Evolution on 180g LP + Download

Esperanza Spalding's new project Emily's D+Evolution is a fresh artistic vision for the fou-time Grammy winner, a daring tapestry of music, vibrant imagery, performance art and stage design. Co-produced by Esperanza and Tony Visconti (David Bowie), the album is an electrifying take on the power trio adorned with backing singers and touches of synthesizer, "as if to fly the pirate flag of the Black Rock Coalition" according to the NY Times. Esperanza assembled a new band for Emily's D+Evolution including guitarist Matthew Stevens (Christian Scott) and drummer Karriem Riggins (Madlib, Erykah Badu). She recorded some of the album's twelve tracks in front of a small audience in a Los Angeles studio. The result is otherworldly cosmic soul, kinetic songs that burst with energy and life. Album opener "Good Lava" offers a grand salvo: sinewy riffs doubled on electric bass and distorted guitar with melodies that stick and float across registers.