Universal Beings cover

Universal Beings

Released

What a difference a few years and a burgeoning musical community can make. Where In the Moment, his first album for International Anthem, gathered a collection of his live performances for later dissection and reassembly, Makaya McCraven’s approach on Universal Beings was to create a communal exposition that spread his concepts across four different ensembles in four different cities, and take in what they give back in the process. Which, in both cases, is a lot — in physical form, it’s four LP sides; in thematic terms, it feels like four different LPs. But that leaves you with a lot of different threads to follow and modes to explore: reflective and spiritual in the vibes-and-harp-laced Queens session, bristling with percussive restlessness in Chicago, basking in Rhodes-soaked post-acid jazz in London, and glowing with IDM-meets-neo soul low end praxis in L.A.

Nate Patrin

Suggestions
Vibes from the Tribe cover

Vibes from the Tribe

Phil Ranelin, Emanative
Feels So Good cover

Feels So Good

Grover Washington Jr.
Yasuke cover

Yasuke

Flying Lotus
In the Moment cover

In the Moment

Makaya McCraven
Gaïa cover

Gaïa

Lionel Loueke
Saudades cover

Saudades

Larry Goldings, Jack DeJohnette, Trio Beyond, John Scofield
SuperBigmouth cover

SuperBigmouth

Chris Lightcap
The Almighty cover

The Almighty

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few
Life in Leipzig cover

Life in Leipzig

Terje Rypdal, Ketil Bjørnstad
The Way Up cover

The Way Up

Pat Metheny Group
Conspiracy cover

Conspiracy

Terje Rypdal
Love Bug cover

Love Bug

Reuben Wilson