Ever so often I stumble across a piece of music which stuns me to goosebumps. Duval Timothy is a multi-talented and multi-disciplinary artist who works and lives in between London and Freetown, Sierra Leone. You can read more about his artistic journey here.

Sen Am is his 3rd, latest musical accomplishment, a gorgeous, rich and textured piano-driven album. The compositions are intricate, moving and soul-titillating. Throughout the record, friends and family appear through WhatsApp voice notes, which add a layer of context and beauty over the stunning chord progressions. While this sounds like a contemporary classical piece, it’s clear that this project is influenced by African soul and power. There are moments  within this monumental piece, where Duval steps into dark, ambient territory with sombre and beautiful moments such as on ‘Wahala’ or ‘Nijo.’ Overall however, the album is vibrant with exciting pieces and interpretations like on ‘Ball,’ for example, where he plays around with the chords off Ronnie Foster’s iconic jazz piece ‘Mystic Brew.’ ‘Sen Am’ is a Krio phrase that means ‘send it’ or ‘send him/her,’ which is a fitting title because it feels like I’m being sent to a heaven where beauty and passion are endless.

Superlatives cannot describe how I feel about this piece of work, and I am happy and excited to see how Duval Timothy will continue to grow and blossom creatively. Listen to Sen Am below via Bandcamp, and make sure you support this man in his creative journey. Released via Carrying Colours Records.