Review: David Lyn – Empathy (You Can Only Feel It) (Music Without Labels)

Music Without Labels' are ready to release the much anticipated follow up to David Lyn's 2024 album 'The World I Hear (Essence of Life)' with 'Empathy' and you can only feel it!

Not exactly hot on the heals of 'The World I Hear (Essence Of Life) (see review HERE), David Lyn now presents his new album 'Empathy (You Can Only Feel It)'. Comprising of David's poems and lyrics set to an innovative and diverse exploration of Jazz, House, Afro-House, Funk and Soul rhythms and melodies.

'Empathy' also features an array of contemporary Black music artists and is co-produced by the legendary Chris Bangs (he of the stunning DanThe Drum x Chris Bangs 'My Tune' EP - see review HERE) who with Dan The Drum released the summer dance anthem, the remixed version of 'Children Of The Sun' featuring JTheVoice.drum

The new album contains the original version of 'Children Of The Sun' along with 'We Rise' (manic Gil Scot-Heron poetry on a dnb bed!) and 'African Jazz Music' (exactly what it says on the tin) and these three epitomise the excellence that occurs when genuine music lovers and creative forces come together to record perfectly crafted songs with live instruments and guest musicians. 

The leader of Music Without Labels sets the tone for the album as music for the mind, the body and the dance floor as the respective vocals of Davoice on the Lyn and Bangs composition 'We Rise' and Shamrock Guitor on the David Lyn penned African Jazz Music blend and weave with spoken word, bass, percussion, saxophone and woodwind duduk.

David Lyn is a DJ, musician (who plays Sax, Percussion, Flute and Synths on Empathy), lyricist and poet and radio broadcaster on TWR Radio. As part of the renowned TWR Sundays schedule David's Music Without Labels show attracts a listenership from across the globe uniting Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe with its knowledgable and exciting tracklistings. David has been a champion of new music and new artists which is reflected in the artists that appear on Empathy (You Can Only Feel It) and as a DJ no one who was there will forget his Saturday Main stage set at the 2024 We Out here Festival warming up for Louis Vegas' Elements of Life.

Chris Bangs' music pedigree is unsurpassed as DJ, producer and songwriter. From coining the term 'Acid Jazz' to his production of and collaborations with Mick Talbot and Paul Weller, Galliano, Will Downing, Yada Yada, Linda Clifford, Courtney Pine, The Quiet Boys and others, Chris has been a massively influential component of the UK's world reaching Black music scene.

Empathy (You Can Only Feel It) is released on the 19th of September as a vinyl LP and a high resolution digital download. with an official launch at London's BBE Store with an all day party featuring David, Grumpy Brown, Elbert Phillips, Colin Curtis,Simon Fane and N'Dinga Gaba on the decks.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Music | Music Without Labels

1. Intro 2. Be You 3. Zwisisa Umoya 4. Barky 5. Stop and Think 6. Nothing Gets Within 7. We Rise 8. African Jazz Music 9. Watch The River Flow 10. Children of The Sun 11. Outro

Artist: David Lyn 

Title: Empathy (You Can Only Feel It)

Release date: 19th September, 2026

Label: MWL Productions

Catalog Number: MWL  

Format: Vinyl LP / Digital / Bandcamp

 

Review: David Lyn – The World I Hear (Essence of Life) (MWL Productions)

Music Without Labels are on the edge with David Lyn's new album, 'The World I Hear (Essence of Life)' and it won't take long to go over and fall in love with this album.

For a start off, you may not know the name David Lyn but he's attracted a wide range of people that you will know like Elbert Philips (a Frankie Knuckles protoge and he of A.MA records remixes - see review HERE), Andy Compton (amazingly prolific deep house/Balearic with The Rurals), Arema Arega (Gilles Peterson's Havana Cultura), Born74 (who with Arema have been on Ramrock Red - loads of reviews on YATM) and even DJ legend Dr. Bob Jones has contributed!

So with this talent together with Lyn's own contribution on flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano we've got an album to champion.

With the title that sounds like it's deeply mediative, wellness focused like the amazing openers with vocals by Vuyelwa Mgatyelwa who sings on 'Bayede (Hail The King)' which connects effortlesly with 'Hamba Manzi (Water Flows)' and the last track, 'Let It Flow' (this last one is a monster that's already featured on the Illicit Grooves Radio show with DJ Bob Hill).

There's a rumour that Gilles Peterson is going to feature one of these tracks on his BBC 6 Music show but it's equally as likely he (and anyone else for that matter) will pick the Afro-house inspired 'Connections', the Latin-jazz dance focused 'Maria Juana' (the one that features Arema Arega and Born74) or 'Drum Connection' (the one with the Elbert Phillps remix) are all set for future dancefloors and festivals this year?

And here's a new name to us, King Stuff on 'I Need A Melody' which morphs into 'Ingoma Yakudala (An Old Song)' which sounds a bit like TY(RIP) in South Africa which would be/and is great.  There's also more than a leaning into gospel/soul/house 'You Told Me This' and 'Hey Lord'; if there's going to be a remix album, it's going to be a stunner, calling all Osunlades and Joe Clausells out there!

Prepare to hear this throughout the summer; and did someone say, "Sète" (Gilles Peterson's festival in the South of France in July), Dingwalls Reunions (check out Mark Murphy's "latest" single - see review HERE) or even Dorset's "We Out Here Festival" in August?

There's a bonus with the digital release of continuous 45 minute mix and it's hard to believe this is a debut album as it's so complete and polished but it's no surprised that more are planned: but for now, don't stop dancing to 'Maria Juana' and  'Drum Connection'.

Artist: David Lyn 

Title: The World I Hear (Essence of Life)

Release date: 1st June, 2024

Label: MWL Productions

Catalog Number: MWL LPDD124

Format: Vinyl / digital / Bandcamp