Naim Records released 3 Empirical albums between 2009 and 2013 - ‘Out’n’In’, ‘Elements of Truth’ and ‘Tabula Rasa’. They have a new limited edition EP out called ‘Distraction Tactics’ - the second part of a 2-part release following from EP ‘Indifferent Culture’ - and will be playing various shows and festivals over the country this summer. We are proud to invite you to take a listen to their back catalogue and to celebrate one of UK’s best jazz groups.
Since their formation in 2007, the quartet have released five critically acclaimed studio albums and have featured at major jazz festivals all over the world including North Sea Jazz, Jazz sous le Pommiers, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Newport, New York, Molde, Berlin and London. They won the UK parliamentary Jazz Award in both 2008 and 2016 as ‘Best Jazz Ensemble’, the 2016 Urban Music Award and the 2010 MOBO Award for ‘Best Jazz Act’.
Empirical have steadfastly maintained their position as one of the UK’s most exciting jazz ensembles boasting rare instrumentation which has proved the perfect yet unique vehicle for the band’s invariably complex compositions and distinctive signature sound.
The band's new EP ‘Distraction Tactics’ is described via their Bandcamp as “capturing a rawer, highly improvisational facet of the quartet’s music, which is the result of a recording session soon after one of Empirical’s ‘now legendary’ (Time Out London) Pop-Up Jazz Lounge Projects.’
A bit more about the 2016 Pop-Up Jazz Lounge Project which saw the band set up at Old Street Underground Station in London performing 24 live sets over the course of 5 days and bringing their instantly recognisable music to an audience close to 3,000 listeners.
Check out our May SPOTLIGHT playlist, curated by the band themselves, and immerse yourself into one of our favourite Naim Records releases.
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