Jayda G – Significant Changes

A key thematic area on Jayda G's debut album Significant Changes is the intertwining nature of her work in music and science. Jayda G holds a Masters degree in Resource and Environmental Management, specialising in environmental toxicology (orca captivity is a particular focus); unsurprisingly, references to the deep sea are sprinkled across the album.

Orca’s Reprise clearly exemplifies this idea – it opens on a sombre greeting of orcas wailing, which gives way to a section of melodic strings before our dolphin friends steer us home. On a similar vibe is the more club-friendly Missy Knows What’s Up where garbled samples of prolific biologist Misty MacDuffie can just be made out over a catchy backdrop of uplifting piano. At its halfway point, the tempo slows down a notch and delves into some gloriously deep synths and submarine-like bleeps, entirely subverting the mood of the track.

An early standout comes in the form of Stanley’s Get Down (No Parking on the DF), which packs a funk-driven bassline while sounding whimsically reminiscent of classic disco. Meanwhile jibes are made throughout at the expense of clubgoers-turned-phone-addicted-zombies: 'Looking at Instagram / This is the dancefloor baby'. Coupled with slick, heady drums, the vocal adds an edge that the track may have otherwise lacked.

A special mention should also be given to frequent collaborator Alexa Dash who features on two tracks, Sunshine in the Valley and the anthemic Leave Room 2 Breathe which draws heavily on the influence of Chicago’s house blueprint and is the more resonant of the two.

Significant Changes may well plunge you below the surface but by the time you reach final track Conclusion, tying in perfectly with the album's overriding scientific theme, we're ever confident that even deeper sounds are still to come from Jayda G.

Listen to: ​Missy Knows What’s Up, Orca’s Reprise, Leave Room 2 Breathe