Last year we welcomed Pan Amsterdam to the Heavenly family, and today we share the news of his debut Heavenly long-player ‘Confines’ due for release this spring. The album features previously released tracks ‘Day Out’ and ‘White Ninja’.

Today, Pan Amsterdam releases the album title track:

• WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘CONFINES’ • LISTEN TO ‘CONFINES’ •

A properly mesmerising collage of free-flowing hip hop, fizzing analogue synths and a woozy brass section jamming with an alien orchestra, the title-track, ‘Confines’, which is available now, is unlike anything else around – “a stream of consciousness mind to paper rhyme” that twists and flips to its own unique tempo.

Talking about title-track ‘Confines’, Leron said:

“With ‘Confines’ I did a stream of consciousness mind to paper rhyme that in hindsight of looking at the verses it felt like I was on a social network scrolling down through various content. It was one big scroll down without a pause. I doubt I’m alone on this but that’s become everyday life. Hypernormalisation amplified by scroll-down culture tends to play with me and I don’t mind it, so long as I notice what’s happening. I think if I don’t pay attention to it, I’ll get too comfortable with trying to stay in the confinement of it. So it feels good to mirror it all in my work, consciously . Much of the album is pretty much that. One big sincere scroll down. Kind of a “Right back atcha”, stroke. Also, amidst all of this scroll down, I don’t know of many people who listen to one artist or genre, but I am supposed to be the representative of one genre? Please don’t hold me in that confinement. Confines.“

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•  ‘CONFINES’ •

• TRACK-LIST• PRE-ORDER THE VINYL OR CD • RELEASED ON MAY 23RD •

Pan Amsterdam is the musical persona of Leron Thomas, a Houston-born, New York based musical nomad. Rapper, jazz trumpeter, producer, musical director, thinker, often all at once, Thomas’ music traverses a woozy, nocturnal world where his many musical disciplines morph and merge into a deeply odd yet consistently coherent sound.

He made his debut as Pan Amsterdam in 2018 before which he released eleven experimental and stylistically varied studio albums under his own name, the earliest being 2005’s Dirty Draws Vol.1, and the most recent being Dingo Babies, released last November. Throughout his career, he’s played alongside some of the most notorious names in the jazz world, including Roy Hargrove, Billy Harper, Charles T Olliver and Bobby Watson and outside of the genre, his résumé is equally impressive, encompassing in-studio and on-stage collaborations with the likes of Mos Def, Bilal, Guts, Kanye West and Lauryn Hill.

Having studied Jazz and Contemporary Music at the New School in New York City and subsequently collaborated with artists like Iggy Pop and Metronomy, he blends experimental hip hop, jazz, funk, and electronic influences, resulting in shapeshifting, genre-defying tracks. His forthcoming album Confines exemplifies his improvisational style, mixing calculated ideas with spontaneous creativity. He describes his approach as organic, reflecting life’s unpredictable nature, and likens his sound to a fusion of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.

Confines explores diverse themes, from racial politics and identity to pop culture references. With a stream-of-consciousness style, Pan Amsterdam raps about everything from cultural observations to food. This mix of humour, social commentary, and introspection is an exploration of the world through a childlike, almost alien perspective and his background in gospel, jazz, hip hop, and even the Grateful Dead shapes this eclectic sound.

The album title reflects Pan Amsterdam’s refusal to be confined by genre. The music channels influences from hip hop’s golden age, alongside nods to artists like Kool Keith, Busta Rhymes, and MF Doom. Confines also marks a personal turning point for Thomas, dedicated to his late father and embracing his rebirth as Pan Amsterdam after years of frustration in the jazz scene.Pan Amsterdam’s journey was catalysed by his disillusionment with jazz’s gatekeepers and his subsequent embrace of hip hop, leading to early releases that caught the attention of icon Iggy Pop. Their collaboration on Confines further solidified Pan Amsterdam’s place in the musical world. With his new album out on Heavenly Recordings, Thomas reflects on how music connects kindred spirits, allowing him to break free from his past and continue his creative evolution.

• READ MORE ABOUT PAN AMSTERDAM •

Having played a sold-out show at The Social in London last summer, Pan Amsterdam has just announced a show at The Jazz Cafe in London on 4th June.

Tickets for the show are available HERE. On sale Thursday at 10am.

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