Culture Today
Earlier this month, Edy Forey released their debut album, Culture Today. The duo is comprised of vocalist Edy Szewy and keyboardist Guilhem Forey. Szewy, originally from Poland, met Forey, originally from France, while studying in Edinburgh. Together, they found they had complimentary music styles and admiration for each other’s talent. Both felt music to be a sacred act, keeping their work together private during the pandemic. Szewy and Forey learned how to push each other’s musical boundaries, forcing them to create something entirely unique. In Culture Today, the experimentation shines with an almost “math rock” rhythm in sections and alternative percussive sounds. They describe their style as urban jazz, incorporating African American influences like blues and funk into their already soulful jazz.
Brimming with guests, Culture Today feels more like an intimate peek into a jam session between Edy Forey and their favorite musicians than it does a typical album. Tracks include features from bassists Michael League, Sharay Reed, Luca Alemanno, and Dean Mark; drummers Femi Koleoso, Seiya Onasaka, and Isac Jamba; saxophonists Bob Reynolds and Alex Hahn; flutists Sarpay Ozcagatay and Miho Wada; flugelhorn player TOKU; Tom Gordon, and LEONN. Additionally, the entire album was mixed and mastered by Bob Power.
An instrumental track (aptly named “Intro”) leads Culture Today. A held out note rolls like a siren, simmering under glittery accents from the keyboard. Synthetic guitar and horns layer, bringing brief moments of a melody. It’s surreal, like melting into your seat to prepare for the album. As the track ends, classical piano notes erupt, swallowing all the other instruments as they seamlessly descend into the next song. “Culture Today” brings a brighter energy than “Intro.” Featuring Tom Gordon, staccato vocal patterns and funky keyboard chords sit alongside a bongo drum and subtle mallets. Suddenly, an electric guitar adds noise between vocal lines, giving the track a 70’s-inspired groove as the drums pick up. Similar to the later song, “The System,” the lyrics are critical of society, making the swirling music feel even more poignant. Keeping the high energy and staccato vocals, Edy Forey transitions into a flirty track named “The Fire.” Mallet tones in the keys and short bursts from other instruments punctuate Edy’s claims that the fires of desire keep her from remaining cool.
Edy Forey via instagram.com/edyforey/
For the cover of Nat King Cole’s “Nature Boy,” TOKU’s flugelhorn floats behind the piano and drums, as if the song takes place during a fever dream. It gives the track a “boho” feel, pulling inspiration from the Moulin Rouge cover by the same name. After having some fun, Edy Forey returns to the criticism first shown in “Culture Today,” with “The System.” Quick beats from a drum machine and electronic filters on the keys underscore a pleading message for listeners to wake up and realize we are idolizing “evil doers.” Alex Hahn splits the song open with a saxophone solo, before giving way to held out vocal notes and repeated assurance that “we shall overcome.” Closing the first half of the album is the Orwellian “Eerie Feary.” Featuring bass from Sharay Reed, drums from Seiya Onasaka, and saxophone from Bob Reynolds, the track blends different rhythms and genres together. Osaka’s drums are marching, pushing the track forward. The lyrical line and Reed’s bass line seem to bounce off of each other, finding the fine line between chaos and genius. All the while, Reynold’s smooth sax creates a throughline to bind the track together.
Both Forey and Szewy credit a wide variety of influences in their music. This results in an amalgamation of genres, switching styles within the tracks and incorporating long stretches of instrumentals. Setting the stage for the second half of Culture Today, “Better Way'' takes a softer and slower approach. The track starts off as a ballad, but after a high hat smash about ninety seconds in, a quicker tempo and more complex instrumental arrangement take over. Featuring Luca Alemanno, Dean Mark, and LEONN, theatrical elements and prominent bass lines give
the song a different, more dramatic structure than previous ones. The lyrics almost entirely drop out, giving way to bass and key solos, before all the elements come crashing back in to finish the track. Up next is “Take Your Time,” a more traditional jazz track with a grooving upright bass and claps in the rhythm. Not ones to stick to tradition, though, Edy Forey invites flutists Sarpay Ozcagatay & Miho Wada to join in, peppering subtle accents that complement the keys. Edy’s vocal line is supported by a deeper, masculine backing vocal that urges the listener to think things through as revolution happens inside, in your mind, before signing off with a flute flourish.
Edy Forey takes a break from fighting the man with the next tracks, “Agape” and “Your Soul.” Both meant to capture elevated feelings of love, they lean heavily into instrumental arrangement. “Agape,” again featuring Tom Gordon, utilizes a squiggling synth and dreamy reverb in held vocal notes, but never actual lyrics. As if waking from a dream, the percussion crescendos and twinkles, giving way to an upbeat bass and a jiving keyboard solo for the melody. Juxtaposed with the following track, “Agape” represents the lighthearted and fun side of a relationship, while “Your Soul” discusses the deeper love and passion that comes from falling for someone’s spirit. Almost 12 minutes long in total, “Your Soul” starts as a slow jam. Gentle distortion on the vocals sound like they are coming through a radio, accompanied by gentle strings and keyboard notes over an R&B beat. As the lyrics wind down, twinkling sounds repeat rhythmically, like stars winking at the two lovers. A piano interlude begins halfway through, playing the same general motif for the majority of the track before transitioning to a futuristic synth. Occasional instrumental and vocal accents bubble through, highlighting the multitude of skills possessed by Edy Szewy and Guilhem Forey.
Culture Today closes out with “Peace of Mind, Pt. 1” and “Peace of Mind, Pt. 2.” “Peace of Mind, Pt. 1” is short and sweet. Featuring bassist League, the track builds tension with a foley of rolling thunder while Szewy laments past choices that have cost her peace. Larger thunder claps hit rhythmically as bass notes crescendo. Flowing into “Peace of Mind, Pt. 2,” the vocals are supported by a funk line from the piano and bass. Ethereal, layered harmonies repeat “peace of mind” over and over. Isac Jamba joins on the drums and Michael League delivers an unyielding bass solo. Bright keys dance over the solo, swimming alongside the repeated lyrical harmonies. As the arrangement starts to fade and distort, a clear piano takes over, accompanied by handclaps for rhythm. The album winds down, ending on a dominant chord, leaving the listener yearning for the resolution.
If you’re into jazz, experimental music, or even widening your musical horizons, Edy Forey needs to get on your playlist immediately. Culture Today is perfect for listening on your own or being played in intimate gatherings with fellow music lovers. Be sure to follow along, because I’m sure their musical journey won’t be dull.
