Review: Yarni - Anemoia (Stanhope Records)

If you put together the spirit of Galliano, Urban Species, Brand New Heavies, Roots Manuva, Ty, early Cinematic Orchestra and similar together, Yani's 'Anemoia' isn't too far from that: yes, it's that good! 

So Yarni is a multi-instrumentalist that's absorbs influences and manages to producer more than the sum of the whole - heard it before?  Well tune into this 'Neon God' and tell me I'm wrong. 

There's no surprise that Benjamin Harris (aka Yarni) has got mates like Sheffield-based Franz Von's, Jeff Darko and Plumm to help out as his fan base is already full of the best of BBC 6 Music's DJ's Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan and Deb Grant plus the maverick, Luke 'É Soul Cultura' Una.

We've heard the single 'Natural Light' and we know Franz Von from 'We Live' that featured wolf peaches (see review HERE) whilst the hip-hop beats takes us down Brazilian cuica and soul-jazz groove and even as good as the sax matches the lyrics - wait 'till you here 'The Romantic Ghost' featuring Plumm: don't you dare treat her like a nutter!  "Tiger Bay", I say no more.  And whilst it's possibly easy to romanticize this album (no pun etc), it's the overall choice of collaborator that gives the ten tracks such a wide appeal; like the string arrangement on 'Temperature's Rising', featuring Nathaniel Short, although it's a shame it doesn't extend into a full-on 'Roy Ayers' vibes solo 

Talking of jazz-funk, James Atashroo's trumpet-purity turns up on 'Silent City' and 'Spell Is Ovr' which adds to the Balearic-jazz-beach.

Bes Bluma vocals on 'Locked Down' remind me a bit of a Fat Freddy Drop (and also see Louis Baker's 'Keep On' - see review HERE); wonder if they'll be as many remixes for 'Locked Down'?

There's another stunning vocal on 'S.W.A.L.K' by Scarlett Fae (Ed. that's 'sealed with a kiss').

The album ends on his take on Afrobeat with 'Nino' (again with Atashroo at his best) and as the vinyl availabilty is very limited so we'd advise to get your pre-orders in now.

BUY LINK:  https://linktr.ee/YarniAnemoia

Artist: Yarni

Title: Anemoia 

Release date: 3rd October, 2025
Label : Stanhope Records 

Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  Limited Vinyl LP/CD package / Limited Edition LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp