Tessellated - “I Learnt Some Jazz Today”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 8

Pairs Well With…Masego, Honne, Major Lazer 

A true fusion pop artist, Jamaican artist Tessellated threads his sound around dance pop, but there’s little here in the way of traditional house beats. Instead, Tessellated takes elements of indie pop, reggae, jazz, and hip hop and creates music that is as catchy as it is unique. He premiered in 2016 with “I Just Learnt Some Jazz Today”, a track layering saxophone and jazz piano jams over a bass trap beat and Caribbean vocal melodies. It’s an infectious groove experimentally created but exceedingly catchy, fun and heady music that is incredibly impressive for a debut three minutes. What follows is New Orleans R&B/hip hop (“She Say”), sunny-island electro-funk (“Streets”), and sludgy synth reggae (“Running”), truly running the map but always keep his cool grooves in command. Tessellated also joined up with Amindi and Valleys on hit “Pine & Ginger”, recently remixed with verses from Popcaan and Kranium, a slide into more dance-floor oriented material and a place where Tessellated still adds some mysterious and smooth edge. His detailed and expressive songs are good for a cool dance night or a close listen, so take your pick to take in this creative artist’s SXSW 2020 showcases. (Kevin McStravick)