The Return (Kamaal Williams album)

The Return is the debut studio album by British musician and producer Kamaal Williams. It was released on 25 May 2018, under his Black Focus Records. After the breakup of the band Yussef Kamaal, Williams sought to recreate the sounds of their 2016 album Black Focus with bassist Pete Martin, drummer Josh McKenzie and producer Richard Samuels. The album is built on improvisation and its ideas are based on their recorded jam sessions.

The Return
Studio album by
Kamaal Williams
Released25 May 2018 (2018-05-25)
Genre
Length44:23
LabelBlack Focus
Producer
  • Kamaal Williams
  • Richard Samuels
Kamaal Williams chronology
Black Focus
(2016)		 The Return
(2018)		 DJ-Kicks: Kamaal Williams
(2019)

Two music videos were released for the album, "Catch the Loop" and "Salaam", both directed by Greg Barnes. Williams also announced a tour across Europe in 2018 and in North America in 2019. The Return received generally favorable reviews from music critics, some praising the re-creation of jazz-funk sounds of the 1970s, while others questioned the length of certain songs. In the United Kingdom, it marked his first entry in the albums chart at number 63, while in the Jazz & Blues chart it ranked number 1. The album also reached number 3 in the Top Jazz Albums chart in America.

Background and development

Keyboardist Kamaal Williams formed Yussef Kamaal with drummer Yussef Dayes and released Black Focus in 2016. Shortly after the album's release, the band broke up in 2017. With The Return, Williams continues the style that Black Focus left off, where "it focuses on pure groove, augmented with loop-like repeated motifs but achieves them with live drums, funk-driven bass, and smooth, twinkling Fender Rhodes lines".[1] This style was labeled as "jazz fusion", a genre Williams rejected amongst others. He considered the album to be "the essence of the London Underground",[1] which Williams clarified that the musicians involved were from London.[1]

The album relies on improvisation based on the "rhythmic exchange" between Williams, bassist Pete Martin and drummer Josh "MckNasty" McKenzie.[1] Williams said that "the whole album is a dialogue between the three of us”.[1] According to Michael J. West of Bandcamp Daily, "the seed [Williams] plants usually takes the form of a rough, basic idea: a motif, a beat, a timbre, or a combination of the above".[1] The band records jams for up to 20 minutes and selects highlights to use for tracks.[1] Williams considers this method "the most natural way to do it".[1] He and engineer Richard Samuels worked on The Return for six months,[lower-alpha 1] the drums in particular "took weeks" to mix.[1]

Composition

Matt Collar of AllMusic described The Return as a "psychedelia-dipped" jazz-funk record. With the "breakbeat-infused 'Catch the Loop,' and the equally kinetic 'Broken Theme'", the album incorporates "bits of modern electronic dance and hip-hop".[2] He additionally said that "cuts like 'Salaam,' 'High Roller,' and 'Rhythm Commission,' showcase Williams and his band's knack for dropping bass- and keyboard-heavy hooks, rhythm section motifs that sound like the intros, and hot mid-sections", similar to that of George Duke, Herbie Hancock, and Eddie Henderson".[2] The album "allowed him to shake off the darker edge that ran through Black Focus, creating a more laid back, funk-soaked sound", according to Angus McKeon of Clash.[3] John Paul of PopMatters writes that "the album's back half tends to lessen the tempos and allow for greater washes of synth to blanket the incessant rhythmic prowess on display".[4]

The first track "Salaam" has "watery keys and a groove that starts slow before working itself up to a bustling climax", as "MckNasty quickens the tempo, Martin strings together galloping phrases, and Williams begins making his own runs".[2][5] The string-arrangement of the title track was compared to Jon Brion's work on Late Registration by Kanye West.[6] The fifth track "Situations" was recorded during a live performance in Milan.[3] For "Catch the Loop", the track "employs a sputtering, machine gun-fire drum loop atop which Williams adds a series of vintage synth stabs", its rhythm then "lessens to a lock-step, club-footed march".[4] "Rhythm Commission" is "a slowly evolving groove that, by track's end, has blossomed into a gloriously funky exercise in rhythmic precision".[4] For "Medina", the track "opens on a musing electric piano introduction with a few streaks of bass running through it, then settles into a trancelike 3/4 rhythm with Williams developing melodic motifs on top".[1] The ninth track "LDN Shuffle" features guitar soloing from Mansur Brown compared to that of Allan Holdsworth.[4] The closing track "Aisha" is a minimalist track that has layers of "ambient synth pads".[7][8]

Music videos and tours

Music videos for "Catch the Loop" and "Salaam" were released, both directed and filmed by Greg Barnes.[9] After he and Williams worked together on "Catch the Loop", they saw The Return as "the soundtrack to an unmade, and epic film".[9] The next video "Salaam" was filmed in Marrakech, Morocco in two days. Williams said:

Marrakech is a special place for me, both spiritually and creatively. Every time I go, I feel alive again and it's a huge inspiration for my work[…] Working with local people in the medina and sharing our story with the community made this experience real. Barnes captured the essence of my relationship with the city as well as the colors and the energy of everything in it.[9]

Prior to the album's release, Williams listed tour dates for March and April 2018 in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.[10] He also announced a tour in America and Canada for March 2019 in support of the album.[11]

Critical reception

The Return was released on 25 May 2018 under Williams' own label Black Focus Records.[12] The album topped the UK Jazz & Blues chart,[13] while it marked Williams' first entry in the Official Albums Chart at number 63.[14] In the country's Independent Albums Chart, it ranked at number 5.[15] The album reached number 82 in the Scottish Albums Chart.[16] The album debuted in the US Top Jazz Albums chart at number 3.[17] In the Belgian Ultratop Flanders Chart, it reached number 182.[18]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Clash8/10[3]
Exclaim!8/10[7]
Mojo[20]
MusicOMH[5]
Pitchfork8/10[6]
Uncut8/10[21]

The Return was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 77, based on 9 reviews.[19]

Kevin Press of Exclaim! said that "The musicianship is extraordinary, but never self-indulgent. There is a timelessness to this record that's as connected to the electric jazz pioneers of the '70s as it is to today's best fusion players."[7] Dean van Nguyen of Pitchfork commented that "while Dayes’ rasping drumming is missed, newly recruited percussionist MckNasty offers his own urbane rhythms."[6] He continued that Williams "present[s] himself as belonging to the same continuum as Yussef Kamaal while establishing himself as a solo artist[…] Yet The Return does even more".[6] Matt Collar writes: "While The Return implies, and often delivers on, Williams' clear desire to recapture the plasmic spirit of vintage '70s jazz-funk, the album is less of a return to past traditions and more of a rebirth".[2]

Nguyen gave light criticism for the short lengths of "Rhythm Commission" and the title track, stating that "there was room for this album to grow."[6] Ben Devlin of MusicOMH also expressed similar comments with the track "Situations".[5] Devlin also wrote that the track "'LDN Shuffle' never quite justifies its own existence over its five-and-a-half minute run-time, but such noodling can be forgiven to an extent on an album that is more about groove than melody".[5]

Accolades

Bleep ranked The Return at number 6 on its year end list, with the staff commending its "rich tapestry of visionary jazz woven together with the sounds and signals of South London Streets" and called it "one of the most exciting musical movements 2018 has witnessed".[22] The album was ranked at number 8 by Complex magazine, with Chantelle Fiddy writing that it "provided a backdrop for an increasingly diverse listenership seeking respite and something real in this tech-compressed hectic old world we find ourselves in".[23] Piccadillly Records placed the album at number 48 on its year end list, the staff wrote: "brilliantly funked-up jazz groves, rolling bass licks and flickering percussions make this not only a fitting follow-up to Williams' collaboration LP from last year but a significant progression".[24]

Accolades for The Return
Publication Accolade Rank
Bandcamp Bandcamp's Top 100 Albums of 2018
49[25]
Bleep Bleep's Top 10 Albums of 2018
6[22]
Complex Complex' Top 15 Albums of 2018
8[23]
Crack Magazine Crack Magazine's Top 50 Albums of 2018
23[26]
DJ Mag DJ Mag's Top 50 Albums of 2018
32[27]
Norman Records Norman Records' Top 50 Albums of 2018
13[28]
Passion of the Weiss Passion of the Weiss Top 50 Albums of 2018
26[29]
Piccadilly Records Piccadilly Records' Top 100 Albums of 2018
48[24]
The Vinyl Factory The Vinyl Factory's Top 50 Albums of 2018
43[30]
The Wire The Wire's Top 50 Albums of 2018
35[31]

Track listing
The Return track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Salaam"8:33
2."Broken Theme"4:28
3."The Return"1:06
4."High Roller"3:01
5."Situations (Live in Milan)"2:59
6."Catch the Loop"6:54
7."Rhythm Commission"2:34
8."Medina"6:57
9."LDN Shuffle"5:29
10."Aisha"2:22

Credits for The Return adapted from album liner notes.[32]

  • Kamaal Williams[lower-alpha 2] – rhodes piano, synth, production
  • Pete Martin – bass
  • Joshua McKenzie – drums
  • Richard Samuels – production, recording, mixing

Charts
Chart performance for The Return
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[33] 182
Scottish Albums (OCC)[34] 82
UK Albums (OCC)[35] 63
UK Jazz & Blues Albums (OCC)[36] 1
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[37] 5
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[17]
3

Notes
  1. Williams also acknowledged Samuels as a band member.[1]
  2. Production credited as Henry Wu

References
  1. West, Michael J. (18 May 2018). "Kamaal Williams on Life After "Black Focus" and How He Defies the Jazz Fusion Label". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  2. Collar, Matt. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  3. McKeon, Angus (24 June 2018). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  4. Paul, John (27 July 2018). "Kamaal Williams Creates Retro-Futurist Jazz Fusion on The Return". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. Devlin, Ben (21 May 2018). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  6. Van Nguyen, Dean (25 May 2018). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  7. Press, Kevin (24 May 2018). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  8. Murphy, Ben. "Kamaal Williams – 'The Return' review". Crack. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  9. "Kamaal Williams Presents New Video for 'Salaam'". XLR8R. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  10. Bakerstein, D.L. (23 March 2018). "London-based jazz fusion kingpin Kamaal Williams (a.k.a. Henry Wu) announces debut album on his own label, Black Focus Records". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  11. Slingerland, Calum (22 November 2018). "Kamaal Williams Maps Out North American Tour". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  12. Murray, Robin (21 March 2018). "Kamaal Williams Announces New Album 'The Return'". Clash. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  13. "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart Top 30". Official Charts Company.
  14. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
  16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  17. "Jazz Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  18. "Kamaal Williams - The Return". Ultratop.
  19. "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  20. Cowan, Andy (August 2018). "Mojo review". Mojo: 94.
  21. Pattison, Louis (July 2018). "Uncut review". Uncut: 37 – via Wayback Machine.
  22. "Bleep's Top 10 Albums of 2018". Bleep. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  23. Patterson, Joseph (21 December 2018). "Complex UK's Best Albums of 2018". Complex. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  24. "Piccadilly Records' Top 100 of 2018". Piccadilly Records. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  25. "The Best Albums of 2018". Bandcamp. 10 December 2018. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  26. "The Top 50 Albums of 2018". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  27. "DJ Mag's Top 50 Albums of 2018". DJ Mag. 15 December 2018. Archived from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  28. "Norman Records' Top 50 Albums of 2018". Album of the Year. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  29. "The POW Best Albums of 2018". Passion of the Weiss. 24 December 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  30. "Our 50 Favourite Albums of 2018". The Vinyl Factory. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  31. "The Wire's Top 50 Albums of 2018". The Wire. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  32. The Return (liner notes). Kamaal Willams. Black Focus Records. 2018. BFR001.CS1 maint: others (link)
  33. "Ultratop.be – Kamaal Williams – The Return" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  34. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  35. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  36. "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart Top 30". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  37. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
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