JPson’s debut album Legacy of Love has been some time coming, but its comforting blend of fresh folk delivers a whole lot of emotion mined from a trying few years. There’s nothing like plumbing the depths of your emotional capacity and then translating that into music.
Legacy of Love comes as a tribute album, a homage to JPson’s father who tragically passed away last year. That, coupled with a snowboarding accident and a badly broken leg, turned the creative process of the album into something quite different. Weighted in emotional and existential considerations, his debut takes on a whole lot more meaning.
The project kicks off in memoriam, with the title track pairing heartfelt sentimentalities with breezy folk strains. A muted beat drives the softened message of solidarity that is “Breathe”, while “Ignite Me” packs a heady punch of rhythm.
By-the-book folk acoustics are JPson’s game. It’s a familiar sound, and while it doesn’t push the envelope much, that’s not the point. It’s about the emotive moments captured that he carries across so eloquently. “For You” is a sweet, summery sad song, hinged on ukulele, which gets a B-side “For You Part 2” replete with heady drums and flutey falsettos.
There’s a brief dub jam thrown in for good measure (“Black & Blue”), a German track which feels oddly out of place (“Keine Schokolade”), while the resounding outro (“Wolves At War”) epitomises the album neatly as it addresses the human condition and unavoidable barrage of life lessons we grow through.
Feature pic by Sofie Vanden Mooter
