Don’t know too much about 22 year old, London-born, Sheffield-based ARCHIE BAKER save that he’s currently promoting his single ‘Casual Happiness’. Archie admits that his song isn’t classically soul, jazz or funk… but like a lot of the music we feature here @ SJF there’s a soulful undertow to the six minute plus track.

The cut has an unusual sound (Mr B counts amongst his influences Bill Withers, Dire Straits, Vulfpeck, John Mayer, and Nubiyan Twist) that begins with bird song, a piano motif and a plaintive sax. The song and vocal have a mournful quality (despite the title!). In places that melancholia might recall a certain Van Morrison while in the musical changes there’s a whiff of Oasis! See what we meant by “unusual”!

ARCHIE BAKER; ‘Casual Happiness’ available to stream/download now