Toronto-based musician, Jahmal Padmore has announced his debut solo album, Esparonto, out via Telephone Explosion Records on May 27, 2022. In addition to the announcement, he has also released the album’s first single, “Pretty” which features a collaboration with Young Clancy. Listen to the track now below.
Recorded at Telephone Explosion’s Studio Z, the trio of Padmore, guitarist Benja and OBGMs drummer/keyboardist Colanthony Humphries began with lengthy jam sessions which eventually became the cores of each track. Padmore plucked the most progressive bass and percussion elements from the sessions and added samples to create Esparonto’s uniquely live aesthetic. The album was then mixed by Louis Cremades at House Of Balloons (The Weeknd) and mastered by Kevin McPhee (Idle Hands, NakedLunch) at East End Mastering.
Speaking about “Pretty”, Jahmal says “It explores the ideas of self-projection and how much one can believe their own hype. What does it mean to believe in yourself as someone with value? What is it to judge others by their aesthetic or financial even moral value? A tongue-in-cheek exploration into the idea of true identity. And a lot of fun at the same time.”
Esparonto’s title is drawn from the name of the constructed language that Polish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof created in the late 1800s. On this album, Padmore constructs a musical language all his own, with songs firmly rooted in R&B that expand to include elements of jazz, ambient, house, hip hop, and pop. After years of holding space for other artists and productions, Padmore’s thrilling debut is a clear proclamation from an artist who is ready to step out of the shadows and into his own light.