7/10

Some records tell stories. Others feel like entire ecosystems, pulsing with life, memory, and movement. 'Yáágo Dootlizh', the second album from Earth Surface People, belongs firmly in the latter category, delivering a sprawling, sixteen-track journey that flows like water itself, uncontainable and constantly shifting.

The collective, rooted in Diné/Navajo traditions and spread across three states, have created an album that thrives on improvisation while feeling deeply intentional. Nothing here sounds overworked or polished into sterility; instead, it carries the energy of ideas caught in the moment and transformed into something permanent.

Across the album, the group blurs boundaries between soul, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and Indigenous songcraft. Tracks like 'Benz or Beemer' and 'White Peach' glide with sultry ease, carried by Nanibaah’s voice, a powerhouse presence that recalls both the grit of Amy Winehouse and the fire of Etta James. Then there are explosive numbers like 'dance me outside', where rhythm and urgency collide to create something communal and alive. The quieter moments land just as hard, where 'Santa Fe Girl' strips things back to their barest form, revealing an aching tenderness that stays long after the final note.

Instrumentally, the album is dense without ever being heavy-handed. Ken Chavez and Lawrence Bailon lock into deep rhythmic pockets, Mike Gutierrez’s saxophone spirals outward in bursts of improvisation, and Chochise Yazzie’s synth textures add a modern shimmer to the mix. It’s a sound built on mutual trust, where each player pushes forward but always leaves room for the others to breathe.

What makes 'Yáágo Dootlizh' so compelling is its duality. It’s an album about community and connection, but also about introspection and the contradictions of modern life. The title, referencing the colour blue and the fluidity of water in Diné Bizaad, feels apt. This is a record in constant motion, reflecting both tradition and innovation, as well as personal stories and collective truths.

With their second full-length, Earth Surface People have crafted a living, breathing space; one where music, spirit, and community converge.