8/10

Ever since he first emerged in the mid noughties, artist and producer Matthew E. White has always seemed more comfortable in the company of others. After first establishing himself as part of The Great White Jenkins and Fight The Big Bull in his early days, his solo work has been regularly broken up with collaborative works as well, most recently alongside Lonnie Holley on their fantastic joint collection 'Broken Mirror: A Self Reflection' early this year. But now he returns to his individual guise on his third solo album 'K Bay', a record that looks to explore a diverse and eclectic array of influences.

His first solo material in six years, 'K Bay' looks to mark itself as one of the more adventurous additions to his ever-growing catalogue. While the epic seven-minute opener 'Genuine Hesitation' sees him head down into an almost David Byrne-inspired post-punk avenue, each track on this new collection has this firm desire to help you get up off your feet and dance. Paying homage to the classic sounds of soul, funk and rock'n'roll throughout his new offering, we get to experience a fresh and distinct Matthew E. White, someone that is more interested in standing out from the crowd than following any kind of narrow path.

From the very start, 'K Bay' has this incredibly fun and jovial sound to it. Regularly adopting a fresh and euphoric pace to each effort, the full-length grows and swells with each energetic display, showing us that as a solo artist, he is very much driven within his aesthetic and won't stop until he has explored every facet of it.