Solo pastures for production big gun
Who they?
Bullion is the recording alias of respected London-based producer Nathan Jenkins. Following a decade of head-turning output with some of electronic music’s most respected labels, not to mention noteworthy production work with artists from David Byrne to Sampha, his latest offering boasts a distinctively well-honed and melodic sound that marks him out for a turn in the limelight.
Why Bullion?
Released as part of the Secretly label group’s new ‘Friends Of’ series, one listen to Jenkins’ ‘Heaven Is Over’ EP reveals warm, subtly optimistic, easy-going uptempo tunes that take you to a happy, dance-around-the-kitchen-type place. The title track is irresistible, ditto the impossibly luxurious ‘Loving Furlong’. His label says the music is “full of yearning and richness”, and we couldn’t agree more. It’s a winning blend of the 90s art pop of 4AD’s Frazier Chorus, the classy dance-informed accessibility of Django Django and the cerebral future-soul of Aussie act Retiree, with a bit of Hall & Oates’ carefree pop sensibility thrown in for good measure.
Tell us more…
There’s a well-considered depth to the Bullion sound that even makes light work of tackling social politics on tracks like ‘Strike A Light’, which takes an overdue swipe at those Insta-obsessed virtue-signalling types. His list of well-judged upcoming collaborations includes highly anticipated outings with Joviale, Avalon Emerson and Orlando Weeks, who until recently was The Maccabees’ frontman. He’s about to produce the new LP by ex-Wild Beasts singer Hayden Thorpe, which tells us as much as we need to know about the reputation this talented artist has built for himself.
‘Heaven Is Over’ is on Jagjaguwar
