Nana’s Sunday Jams: The Wire - Fulton Lee

Published on 2021-01-10 00:00:00 by Nana Fani-Kayode

**[Banner artwork by the majestic Trav, all of Nanas jams are gathered in this playlist.]******Yes and Yes Sunday Jammers. Happy Happy New Year to you all. I hope you’re well, taking all things in your stride and finding room to breathe.So, this year I am done with resolutions, still trying to make good on the last two sets and going nowhere fast so I’m calling time on that. I’m currently searching for a new modus operandum- anyone got any new ideas or ways to deal please hit me up. Part of my new plan involves taking my time to ease into 2021; I’m determined to keep things light and breezy, hopefully this will provide some antidote to lessen the effects of winter’s biting grip coupled with confinement. Feels right to float in rather than jumping in feet first, so the theme for the next 4 Sunday Jams will be just that; breezy to beat the January blues. For that I’m turning to Pop – really, it’s just an excuse for a medium dive into one of my favourite genres.This week’s tune comes courtesy of a soundtrack to a Netflix series I’ve been curling into and loving. I had one of those moments when you hear a piece of music that you keep skipping back so you can hear it again, watermarking the particular scene it underscores. It’s a perfect slice of bubble gum pop-inspired funk and fits all the criteria; a sweet vocal and a melody to inspire some light stepping on your Sunday afternoon. The track is The Wire, the artist is Fulton Lee, it just feels full of the promise of something in the not too distant future, with warmer weather and light, ticklish breezes. If you close your eyes it feels like a film scene from a retro era – the time period is non-descript, but it crosses into the late 1950s into the 1960s tinged with 1970s soft focus lighting.Along with the pop funk sensibilities it’s chock full of soul overtones, all accompanied by a band sound that just adds to the sweet and airy feeling. The harmonies feel like they are coated in sugar. I actually paused watching so I could look up the artist and had a few rewinds and closed my eyes whilst swaying around. The musical arrangement is seemingly simple but that’s the kind of effortlessness that comes with being a skilled musician. I love the freshness of Fulton’s vocal, there is something so earnest about his delivery but it’s by no means naïve or cliched, there is a control in his singing that commands the attention. This becomes even more realised on Baby Blue, listen to the harmonic structure and how he breezes through it, so lovely. It took my bare feet first then moved through my waist ,ending up at my fingers. So, so, so lush, if you need some sugary summery sprinkles to pep you up then I recommend this track and the next two; Baby Blue and Moments, off the 2018 EP Baby Blue.Also, for anyone who might be interested, the series is Raising Dion and music wise it’s a soul vibe all the way through. Curl in Jammers and meet back here next week.