London-based Speakers Corner Quartet have spent years trying to hone their craft, while simultaneously being a vessel for inspiration and musical development for many others. Consisting of Biscuit on flute, Kwake Bass on drums & percussion, Raven Bush on violin, and Peter Bennie on bass, the group have spent years collaborating with some of the most exciting artists making music today, and their debut album Further Out Than The Edge exemplifies this perfectly.

With 13 tracks and 15 features (with at least one on each track), the album is a pure collaborative work of art, with all the artists providing their own unique genius on lavish, incredibly emotive jazzy instrumentals that just create the perfect, reflective soundscapes for each artist to just float over with their voices. Coby Sey’s emotive vocal contribution on “On Grounds” kicks things off with a dynamic drum loop and beautiful synth leads that add so much to this opening track. Kelsey Lu’s cello contribution on “Acute Truth” is fantastic, with more fast-paced drumming adding to the dynamic and riveting energy of the album. “fix” features a bass melody and Tirzah’s subtle but poignant vocals. “Wavelet” is another memorable moment, with Confucious MC and Joe Armon-Jones on keys doing their thing on a melodic and beautiful instrumental. “Dreaded !” with Léa Sen is another poignant track, with gorgeous strings and another dynamic and bass-heavy drum loop. Kae Tempest’s dark and dystopian lyricism on “Geronimo Blues”, with words on contemporary issues that plague Britain today, are delivered with a sense of hopelessness. The strings on the track, and how they build throughout is truly exceptional. Sampha’s smooth and mesmeric voice on “Can We Do This?” is just spellbinding, as expected, while the wind and percussion instrumentation on “Soapbox Soliloquy” along with LEILAH’s vocals is fantastic, making it an emotive and powerful cut on the album. “Hither Green” is jazzy and beautiful, with incredible strings, basslines, and a great spoken-word delivery from James Messiah, whose lyrics are sharp and full of imagery. “Round Again” is a striking track, with basslines and incredible synths that are perfectly combined with emotive and introspective lyrics from Tawiah, whose vocals tower through the warm instrumental. “Behind The Sun” has an engaging drum groove, with basslines and subtle strings adding to the incredibly lush instrumentation. Lafawndah & Trustfall’s voices add to the immersive groove and texture of the track. “Shabz Needs Sun” features Shabakah Hutchings’ playful flute melodies, while the album closes out with a dark and unassuming composition titled “Karainagar” with Mica Levi, a sublime and reflective track with the cello melody being the emotional centerpiece of this track.

Speakers Corner Quartet have released a stellar collaborative body of work that showcases just how important their legacy is to the London music scene. There’s so much to admire about their collaborative approach to making music, and Further Out Than The Edge is exemplary of that.