In Praise of Shadows [Deluxe]

The debut full-length album from London's Puma Blue, 2021's In Praise of Shadows, showcases his hypnotic blend of lyrical indie rock and jazzy, '90s-style downtempo electronica. The stage name of singer/songwriter and producer Jacob Allen, Puma Blue first garnered buzz for his equally atmospheric EPs, 2017's Swum Baby and 2018's Blood Loss. In Praise of Shadows finds him further expanding his guitar- and vocals-based sound, weaving in a dusky blend of analog and electronic textures. Try to imagine something along the lines of Jeff Buckley recording at home with J Dilla, and you won't be far off from the narcotic bedroom vibe Puma Blue conjures here. Poetically titled cuts like "Velvet Leaves," "Opiate," and "Slick Print" mix Allen's hushed vocals with shimmering guitar riffs and head-nodding beats that he pushes way up in the mix. Elsewhere, he draws upon an otherworldly combination of influences, his harmonized, double-tracked vocals evoking a surprising concoction of Sade and Low on the ballad "Silk Print." Similarly evocative, "Oil Slick" nicely updates the vintage trip-hop of bands like Morcheeba and Massive Attack with its frenetic groove, strings, and sax solo. It's also impressive how balanced Puma Blue's sound can be, intentionally threatening to fall off the page with a lo-fi guitar sample one second and then diving into a mesmerizingly seductive R&B groove the next, as on the D'Angelo-esque "Is It Because." With In Praise of Shadows, Puma Blue has crafted a deliberate slow burn of a debut album you'll enjoy taking your time with. ~ Matt Collar