Oscar Jerome - Breathe Deep (2020) [Hi-Res]

South London’s Oscar Jeromereleases his highly-anticipated debut album Breathe Deep via Caroline International. A staple of the capital’s burgeoning jazz scene – previously collaborating with everyone from Shabaka Hutchings to Moses Boyd and Yussef Dayes – the Breathe Deep LP sees Oscar bring in an army of collaborators that he says have been an integral part of his journey so far. Other guests include friends in Joe Armon-Jones, Sons of Kemet and Maisha, as well as the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas.

Talking about his debut album, Oscar says: “‘Breathe Deep’ is a pretty broad presentation of who I am musically and my journey to get to this point. On a personal level, it’s a reflection of the effort put in during that path of self-bettering, both emotionally and in life more broadly. It’s about preparing oneself for failure and growing from that. Taking a moment to step back and see where things are going and where one has been. It also addresses the resilience of people, which is reflected in the more political moments on the album. The world is a messed up place but people still find ways of preparing themselves for it.”