Quiroga - Passages (2019)

Hell Yeah’s summer will be all about Passages, a brand new and fantastic album from Quiroga that shows off his unique take on the Neapolitan sound. It is a soothing mix of real musicianship, laid back funk, soul and jazz stylings that wash over you, fill your heart with warmth and take you to a faraway beach where all your worries melt into the ether.

It is 11 years since Walter Del Vecchio’s last album on Cactus Island Recordings and since then he has put out a steady stream of sublime EPs on the likes of his own Really Swing as well as, of course, Hell Yeah. Label boss Marco calls him “a delicate musician” and it’s true that his deft sound is filled with beauty and detail.
A lot of attention is currently on his native Naples scene, but Quiroga doesn’t fit with the usual narrative thanks to his left of centre take on the breezy Mediterranean sounds of the city. This new album features six brand new cuts as well as six of his favourites that have previously been put out Really Swing, and is a fantastic showcase of his sound, with two of the tracks already getting big support from Italian ensemble 291out.

Gentle groove undulations and refrained vocal euphoria define opener Got Your Love, while fat bass twangs and nodding keys light up the jazzy-soul-funk fusion that is Martinica Feelings. Things get even more horizontal and romantic on The Zoist, with its steamy female coos and delicate keys, and North Hollywood Witches is a glorious bit of slow motion boogie with squelching bass and effervescing keys.

Elsewhere there are the lazy tumbles of Non Dire Notte, which is awash with acid gurgles, while glistening dreamscapes like Citto Di Mare shuffle on lush live drums and new age melodies. There are hippie vibes on Luzhin Defence which evokes sun beams breaking through the clouds, then Chiaia Sunset will melt your heart with its diffuse keys and rippling rhythms and ambient closer Bava casts you adrift into the clouds.

With many other gems along the way, this a perfect summer album that will temporarily rid you of whatever problems you may have.