Kamasi Washington will release a new album on Young.
Where Washington’s previous albums dealt with cosmic ideas and existential concepts, Fearless Movement focuses in on the everyday, “an exploration of life on earth.” we’re told. This change in scope is due in large part to the birth of Washington’s first child a few years ago.
“Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up,” says Washington. “My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality—realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.”
The album features Washington’s daughter—who wrote the melody to “Asha The First” during some of her first experimentations on the piano—as well as a host of collaborators new and old.
André 3000 appears on flute, George Clinton lends his voice, as do BJ The Chicago Kid, Inglewood rapper D-Smoke and Taj and Ras Austin of Coast Contra, the twin sons of West Coast legend Ras Kass.
Washington further enlisted lifelong friends and collaborators Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Patrice Quinn, Brandon Coleman, DJ Battlecat, and more.
Washington’s last studio album, Heaven and Earth, in 2018.
Tracklisting
01. Lesanu
02. Asha The First feat. Thundercat, Taj Austin, Ras Austin
03. Computer Love feat. Patrice Quinn, DJ Battlecat, Brandon Coleman
04. The Visionary feat. Terrace Martin
05. Get Lit feat. George Clinton, D Smoke
06. Dream State feat. André 3000
07. Together feat. BJ the Chicago Kid
08. The Garden Path
09. Interstellar Peace The Last Stance
10. Road to Self (KO)
11. Lines in the Sand
12. Prologue
Fearless Movement LP is scheduled for May 3 release. Meanwhile, you can stream “Prologue” in full via the player below and pre-order here.
Photo: B+