Claude Cooper Myriad Sounds

Friendly Recordings

Having first emerged in a shroud of mystery, bang in the middle of that first brutal lockdown, Bristol’s elusive Claude Cooper returns with his magnificently bustling debut album of motley sounds. Aptly named Myriad Sounds, the record is an unrestrained, bristling hive of creativity with various styles, genres and tempos spilling from every direction. A heady concoction of jazz, psychedelic-funk, breaks, trip-hop and post-punk, the record feels intuitive as Cooper explores his urges with total freedom. There is an improvisational spirit, mixed with deft arrangement, especially when it comes to the mesmerising jazz-breaks-style drums and rumbling basslines that pump the momentum throughout. Expressive saxophone and horns bring the flair as Cooper guides us to the realms of dreamy and hypnotic astral jazz. It’s the ever-shifting, relentless, bristling energy that gives the album its wild and direct aesthetic. A brilliant and highly expressive debut, Myriad Sounds only deepens the intrigue for Claude Cooper further. Let’s hope that he emerges from the shadows again soon. Tom Jones

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9/10