Review: lovetempo - There Is A Light (Bastard Jazz)

The most anticipated album of the year is here and a perfect way for Bastard Jazz Recordings to celebrate their 25th anniversary with lovetempo and 'There Is A Light' - turn it on!

Nearly a year since the release of the 'But I Do' single/remixes (see review HERE) so it's been a while 'till we've got our hands on the album by lovetempo (aka Mattie Safer) who made his name in The Rapture and Poolside before going solo. 

The 'But I Do' single was one of Gilles Peterson's most favourite tracks of last year so I'm still hopefully that lovetempo will be on the bill at Peterson's 'We Out Here' Festival this year (especially as the US tour dates have been announced - see below).  

But this isn't just NY trendy soul/funk/disco dance hits as there's a downtempo space shuffle of 'Maybe In Another Life' and talking of trendy, Mattie duets with Kate Mattison (of 79.5) on the track 'I Wanna Be With You' (79.5 also having featured on Fouks' recent 'Sundays' EP - see review HERE) and it's strangely in a Sunday Nite radio funk groove that harks to Motown boy/girl love songs - even Rick James & Teena Marie (Ed. that's one for the teenagers).

And if that's reminds you of some steamy 'Portuguese Love' the album ends on a couple of  tracks, 'By Your Side' that has that Latin rolling percussion and hot lyrics that peaks with some out-there synth followed by a blues (of sort), 'A Miracle Or Two' with a bar room sax solo.

What this album highlights is how good this guy is in a variety of styles whether its the soulful 'Never The Same', the pacey Charles Stepney-ish 'Thinking About You', the 'disco' bell-ringer opener 'The Right Way' or the clappy gospel sing-a-long 'pop' of the title track, 'There Is A Light'

As an aside, I played the Rapture big hit at a vinyl only night recently, 'House Of Jealous Lovers' from 2002 on the super trendy (at the time) DFA and this guy got super excited telling me his brother, his trendy older one, played it repeatedly back in the day and it held really good memories for him - 'There Is A Light' will no doubt do the same for folks today - let it shine people!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://ffm.to/thereisalight_lp.HGW

US.upcoming live dates  

4/26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right (Album Release Show)
5/6 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers (Album Release Show)
5/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA*
5/13 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s*
5/17 - Providence, RI @ The Parlour*
5/23 - San Francisco, CA @ Madrone Art Bar (Hybrid DJ set)
6/10 - Mexico City, DF @ Tonál (Album Release Show)
7/31 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Airliner^
8/1 - San Diego, CA @ TBC^
8/2 - Phoenix, AZ @ TBC^
*with Meghan Dowlen
^with Social Lovers

Artist: lovetempo

Title:  There Is A Light

Release date: 17th April, 2026

Label: Bastard Jazz

Cat. No: TBC

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

P.S. Gilles Peterson's interview with lovetempo on Lot Radio (in association with Worldwide FM) from NYC for the Winter Jazz Festival starts 12:00 and the whole show is worth a listen 

Link: GILLES PETERSON LIVE FROM NYC at The Lot Radio | WorldwideFM

Review: lovetempo - Live Or Die By Love (Toucan Sounds)

From the title you might think lovetempo has been watching too many Bond movies over the festive season whilst in reality his lovefinger will send you into raptures.

You may know lovetempo from previous singles 'But I Do', 'Maybe In Another Life' or even 'Turnaround' on Razor-N-Tapes' compilaton 'Family Affair Vol. 2 (see review HERE) but the track 'Live Or Die By Love' is so uplifting it's joyous in every sense as, to misquote Miles Davis, Gospel Not Gospel, Disco Not Disco, Toucan Not Toucan.

Gilles Peterson got "boyhood fan" over excited in his recent interview (see below) with the Level 42 comparisions but 'Live Or Die By Love' is lovetempo's "manifesto statement" and nothing like 808 BEACH & Amy Douglas 'WHATEVER DADDY SAYS' (see review HERE) or is it?  

Well it is if you're of the Toucan Sounds Co-op view, get your club card out for this one.  It is anthemic and manifesto; it's only problem is that it's too short, the sax, vibes, piano could work out a mix a mega 12", dub and/or instrumental.  Its irresitable and addictive, it's got me in raptures (Ed. that's enough of that). Oh! I did I say Mattie Safer used to be in The Rapture and Poolside.  

'We Can Make It Happen' squeezes a bit of West Coast meets Disco string stabs into Fania's back yard that's added to with the cheatin' 'Part-Time Love Affair'.  

This release is a great companion to Mattie's previous hits 'The Sun' and 'But I Do' and it's clear he's a super talent.  If you like the work of Jkriv, Toribio & Sharin, Clive From Accounts you'll be as excited as Gilles Peterson with this as it is blessed with sunshine and love.

P.S. Gilles Peterson's interview with lovetempo on Lot Radio (in association with Worldwide FM) from NYC for the Winter Jazz Festival starts 12:00 and the whole show is worth a listen 

Link: GILLES PETERSON LIVE FROM NYC at The Lot Radio | WorldwideFM

BUY LINK: https://music.toucansounds.com/liveordiebylove

Artist: lovetempo
Title: Live Or Die By Love
Release date: 21st February, 2024
Label: Toucan Sounds
Cat. No: TBC
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp