Richard Spaven: Light Of Day

Acclaimed drummer, composer and producer Richard Spaven has forged a distinctive musical identity by blending jazz, drum and bass, electronica and hip hop. His technical fluency has seen him collaborate with a wide range of artists, including Cinematic Orchestra, Flying Lotus and Loyle Carner.

Spaven, initially grounded in big band jazz, was heavily influenced by the London club scene, immersing himself in drum and bass, garage, dubstep and other styles. This has evolved into a singular approach that incorporates intricate breakbeats and an ability to weave exciting textures into his compositions. That description may suggest a synthetic, heavily programmed sound, but instead Light Of Day balances Spaven's controlled rhythmic intensity against keyboard, trumpet and guitar melodies, many of which evoke a Nordic atmosphere.

Spaven co-wrote six of the album's nine tracks with Oli Rockberger, with Jack Brown and Stuart McCallum also earning writing credits. Groove sits front and center throughout, allowing Spaven to direct the pulse of the album. His precision and inventiveness are immediately apparent on the opening track "Out of the Quiet." Rockberger establishes a repeating keyboard motif, layered with McCallum's guitar, before the introduction of Verneri Pohjola's trumpet lifts the piece to another level.

The trumpet continues to play a prominent role on "Distant Signal," where Nils Petter Molvaer adds swirling atmospheric textures, while the calmer "Let Me Say It For You" features James Copus' Nordic-influenced flugelhorn floating above shifting beats and keyboard patterns. The title track is among the album's finest moments, beginning with a folk-inspired melody before gradually expanding into a cinematic soundscape, combining McCallum's acoustic guitar with Graeme Blevins' finely judged flute work. Spaven's sound world of groove and harmony is only interrupted by the introduction of rap on "Finders," a shift that feels disconnected from the album's overall direction.

Further highlights are offered by the more chilled "Bunny Bread," featuring an inventive electric guitar solo from McCallum, and the excellent "Tilt," whose rhythmic twists are complemented by more fine flautistics from Blevins and meaty basslines from Yves Fernandez. Percussionist Oli Savill adds further rhythmic punch and energy to both tracks.

Throughout Light Of Day, Spaven demonstrates a remarkable command of odd meters and intricate rhythmic structures while maintaining a consistent sense of forward momentum. Fundamentally, he takes hitting things with sticks to a high level of expression. This highly listenable and immersive nine-track set marks a fresh direction and a significant progression for Spaven and suggests there is plenty of creative ground left for him to explore.