Twinset - Mystical Soul

Twinset are delighted to announce the release of their fourth album, Mystical Soul, with LOOP Recordings Aot(ear)oa. Following the success of 2002 album It's A Summer Feeling, which saw them gaining a nomination for Best Jazz Album at the New Zealand Music Awards 2003, the Wellington three-piece began work on Mystical Soul in February 2003. Recorded at 'The Surgery' in Newtown, Wellington, organist Chris Yeabsley, twin brother Dan Yeabsley on sax/flute and Paul Hoskin on drums present vocal collaborations with such luminaries of the Wellington massive as Lotus, The Black Seeds frontman Barnaby Weir and Dallas of Fat Freddy's Drop fame. Lotus' unassuming vocal appears on 'Before Me', while Barnaby's vocal offering is a gently funky remake of Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny'. Dallas' luscious tones serve to further enhance an already 'Sweet Thing'.

With engineering by Dr Lee Prebble (The Black Seeds/Phoenix Foundation), and Mu of Fat Freddy's Drop providing his magic touch on mixing and mastering duties, Mystical Soul lacks for nothing, and is a smooth taste of the popsicle-chill dub-tinged jazz flavour that is Twinset. How would we describe it? Wide groove new jazz...

Twinset began life as the SpiderMen, back in 1996 in their second year at the then Wellington Polytechnic Conservatorium of Music. Since their first gig, a warehouse party alongside various blood-spattered Goth bands, they have set a standard of impeccable presentation, both in their attire , suits and ties mandatory - and in their finely crafted compositions. Subsequently, Twinset secured a now-legendary residency at late night joint Tatou, followed by a longstanding Wednesday night residency at Wellington's infamous and recently refurbished late night drinking den The Matterhorn. Currently regularly engaged four nights a week, Twinset are among a minority of musicians able to devote themselves full time to music.

While their sound is customarily typified as jazz, Twinset prefer to avoid such a label, conceding that although they use jazz instrumentation and improvisation, there is a lot of use made of breakbeats, roots and dub influences. Their first release, This is Boogaloo in 2001, recorded live at Motel and mixed by Mu, was well received and thrashed at cafes and restaurants throughout the country. Later in the year Christmas Puddin' hit the shelves, with Twinset reinterpreting traditional Christmas carols with the vocal assistance of Benj Berryman, Dallas, Cherie Mathieson and Cloudboy's Demarnia Lloyd. It's A Summer Feeling, also engineered by Dr Lee Prebble & mastered by Mu, was captured live in two days' recording at Cable St Studio, & received rave reviews nation wide.

"Featuring superb musicianship and beautifully recorded, Twinset lay down foot tapping beats over which they add driving riffs and sublime solos. You have to keep reminding yourself that this is the work of a trio and not a larger group as the groove is so wide." Nick Batt, NZ Musician

With smooth grooves, strong leadlines and a palpably warm texture, Mystical Soul is a heady concoction of lounge and jazz styles, gently infused with dub and soul to create an album of essential urban listening.