Duval Timothy “Brown Loop” (I Should Care Records)

One of our favourite discoveries of the year came in the form of this 10 track solo piano record by Duval Timothy.

A true renaissance man, Duval works out of London in the disciplines of music, fashion, fine art, and food. With Brown Loop, he has managed to forge a timeless record that is equal parts Debussy and Mobb Deep.

As its title implies, this album is all about applying the essence of the loop and utilizing that as the building block to creating something unique. Cuts such as ‘Badman’ and ‘Smoke Alarm’ give away more than just a hint of Duval’s hip hop influences. While ‘Blue Borough’ and ‘Hairs’ provide a slice of beauty to contrast the grittiness of the more head-nodding tracks.

The recording, which took place in New York, is another reason why we love this; throughout the album you can hear feet tapping, as well as some of the inner mechanisms of Duval’s instrument, providing the listener with the sense that you’re in the same room as the artist. If you’re into dance or beats music and are looking to move towards some otherness, then Brown Loop is certainly a perfect starting point.

Duval’s track “Badman” was featured in BOOM MUSIC #26

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