Review: Kyla Kilzer & Max Noir - Stay Calm/Frustration (Tru Thoughts)

Yet another discovery on Tru Thoughts that's not quite what you'd expect as they discover new talent with Kyla and Max as these two tracks immediately show us how to 'Stay Calm' and embrace 'Frustration'.

For Brighton-based 23-year-old singer-songwriter Kyla Kilzer and Jersey-born producer Max Noir, this dboule A single is a warm-up for the release of EP, 'Sip & Wonder' and thier Main Bar take-over at London's Brick Lane Jazz Festival on Saturday, 26th April (they'll be other Tru Thoughts artists there that day so keep an eye open).

Opening the double single, “Stay Calm” unfolds like a deep breath, a tender, minimalist moment drifting between lo-fi soul and meditative alt-R&B. Written as a mantra to ease anxiety, the track finds Kyla grounding herself through sound. “This song is about our lovely friend Anxiety,” Kyla shares. “It was something I had to overcome most days, and I could never have done it without music. While writing, I imagined what words would comfort someone listening. In the chorus, I talk about using your five senses to stay calm, exactly how my mum taught me.”

Then comes “Frustration,” its shadow twin. Built on dusty percussion and a hip-hop swing laced with Spanish-tinged rhythm, the track channels restlessness into rhythm. Kyla’s vocals shift from silk to steel as she turns anger into motion, while Max’s production keeps the pulse steady and hypnotic. “I was angry with myself,” Kyla admits, “but we just poured it all into the music and came out with this lovely piece.” Max adds, “I love how the breathy vocal layers in the chorus reflect the feeling of frustration, building up in intensity as the track progresses.”

And we're told, "Tru Thoughts heard about this music through BandLab Technologies (BandLab/ReverbNation) through an artist submission campaign via Opportunities, and BandLab/ReverbNation are supporting this release".

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Sip & Wonder | Kyla Kilzer 

Artist: Kyla Kilzer & Max Noir 

Title: Stay Calm/Frustration

Release date: 19th February, 2026

Label : Tru-Thoughts 

Catalog Number : TRUDD700

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Anchorsong - Ceremonial (Tru Thoughts)

Whoever had the bright idea at Tru-Thoughts to release a 10th Anniversary version of 'Ceremonial' by Anchorsong deservers to have an event to celebrate - but where is it?

You have to go back to the Salamanda remix of Anchorsong's 'Windmills' (see review HERE) for his last release but back in 2016, the album called 'Ceremonial'.

At that time, I'm not sure everyone was in tune with or ready for a Masaaki Yoshida's Daedelus meets Carlos Niño at a Shinto wedding; or even his earlier ('The Storytelling', 2007) where his ambient, downtempo instrumental tracks were accompaned with a live string quartet.  

Whilst it was big on the BBC 6 Music playlists, even massive Japanophile like DJ Gilles Peterson said,"He's [Anchorsong] been in his own lane for some time".

Well, this is as good a time as any to re-appraise the Tokyo-born / London based Yoshida as these 10 tracks are more to do with Afrobeat and Highlife circa 70s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo than electronic hip-hop instrumentals that it got mis-aligned.

Of course, any pusedo-concept album like this must start with 'Eve' and 'Mother' whilst the other tracks, 'Oriental Suite', 'Kajo', 'Monsoon', 'Butterflies', 'Rendezvous', 'Last Feast' and the synth-acid climax 'Ceremony' all add to the party.

For an album built around his MPC and keyboards some of the best bits are the mix of ganelan and twangy surf guitars.

A true original and good to have it back - ten years afte!

BUY LINK: Ceremonial | Anchorsong

Artist: Anchorsong 
Title: Ceremonial 
Release date: 22nd January, 2016
Label : Tru-Thoughts
Catalog Number : TRU317
Format : Digital / Bandcamp

PS. Alway as good idea to remind us that Tru Thoughts ended 2022 with their best release of the year [Ed. that's because you're Edit was on it - see A Different Style EP by Biggabush] 

Review: Various Artists - Tru Thoughts 2025 (Tru Thoughts)

Reflecting the label’s eclectic and international roster the 22-track anthology spans Neo Soul, Jazz, Electronica, Grime, Broken Beat, Hip Hop, and beyond - it celebrates new signings, landmark collaborations, and fresh twists on catalogue favourites.

 At the one extreme, the bully boy 'BOSS' (from Oliver Night's album, 'Between The Lines - see review HERE) and at the other, the gentle 'Starling' in the middle (from Alina Bzhezhinnska & Tulshi's Whispers Of Rain - see review HERE),just the usual brilliant best of Tru Thoughts with another 'Love Letter' for a year of success. 

A massive 22 tracks that also features Lance Fergusson's cover of 'Could Heaven Be Like This' (from the album, Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 3 - see review HERE), WheelUp's 'Flash' (review HERE), Footshooter, Benji Bower & The Terra Collective Orchestra present Terra Coda (see review HERE) and many more.

As they say, "‘Tru Thoughts 2025’ once again captures the label’s unique ethos: a commitment to nurturing new voices while celebrating heritage and collaboration. With music stretching from grime and broken beat to jazz-funk, harp-electronica, and brass-driven anthems, the compilation stands as a vibrant reflection of where Tru Thoughts has been this year and where it’s going next".

Once more, many thanks for 2025 (and since 1999!)

BUY LINK : Tru Thoughts 2025 | Tru Thoughts

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: Tru Thoughts 2025

Release date: 28th November, 2025

Label : Tru-Thoughts 

Catalog Number : TRUDD698

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Lance Ferguson’s Rare Groove Spectrum - Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 3 (Tru Thoughts)

New  Zealand-born, Melbourne-based multi-hyphenate Lance Ferguson presents new album Rare Groove Spectrum Vol.3, a soulful, live-band journey covering classics and rarities in funk, jazz, latin, soul and beyond, fusing crate-digger sensibilities with modern studio craft.

We already acknowledged that the Australian music scene owes much to Lance Ferguson for high ligthing Melbourne with Kylie Auldist in the Bamboos, Cooking On 3 Burners (don't miss their first album in 6 years - see review HERE), Machines Always Win, Menagerie, The Ferguson Rogers Process and the Rare Groove Spectrum that is now on Volume 3.

You'll recall the cover version Billy Elish's 'My Future' that features the vocals of Rita Satch (see HERE - and her album, 'Meet Me In The Garden' - see review HERE) but it's interesting to consider whether this was a ploy to introduce older soul-funkers to the work of Ms. Elish or to get youngsters to enjoy the older classics that Ferguson introduces us to.

I did see the other day on a Social Media post that Idris Muhammad’s 1977 jazz-funk crossover hit, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' as "little known" - really!  Well, if it is, it won't be after this version that's very respectful to the original. And not far behind, early jazz-funk "hit" 'Caveman Boogie' (original by Lesette Wilson) gets a workout a you may remember Bugz In The Attic remixed Gene Harris' 'Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong' 20 years ago so that might have dropped off some folks' radar as being a top Latin Blue Note track so interesting to hear Lance's version as more of Brazil '66 bossa.

And clearly he's big on digging like any hip-hop kid, so the extremes range from Library "god", Keith Mansfield with his 1975 'Hot Source' as already done by Hot Source; here as 'Oz Bump' with a great sax solo - KPM royalty.

And closer to the source is 'Runnin' (Earth, Wind & Fire) - wayoooooooo etc - and 'Fourty Days' (Billy Brooks / A Tribe Called Quest) - vous le vous - and Jimmy McGriff's 'Dig It'. 

The album opens with 'Dominoes', nothing to do with Donald Byrd but the Jungle track and in the 'every day a school day' envelope as Lance "also shines a light on homegrown legends with “Song For Bobby”, originally by ‘70s jazz-funk outfit Pyramid, featuring a heartfelt solo by Ross Irwin in tribute to the late Bobby Venier".

The whole album is great and will maintain Ferguson's favoured position on Craig Charles' 'Funk & Soul' Radio Show (BBC 6 Music) along with Huey Morgan, Gilles Peterson, Colin Parnell and loads more as it's much more than a 101 to jazz-funk-soul dancefloor greats. 

BUY LINK: Rare Groove Spectrum, Vol. 3 | Lance Ferguson

Artist: Lance Ferguson’s Rare Groove Spectrum

Title: Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 3

Release date: 21st November, 2025

Label : Tru-Thoughts 

Catalog Number : TRU471

Format: LP / Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp